


Out of the Ice

by AzureTiger



Series: Thundershield adventures [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Caring Steve Rogers, Hurt Steve Rogers, Hurt Thor (Marvel), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Thor (Marvel), Stubborn Steve Rogers, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro, Thundershield - Freeform, Worried Thor (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-07-30 16:56:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 70,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20100538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzureTiger/pseuds/AzureTiger
Summary: Thor needs to return to Asgard and retrieve the Tesseract, and Steve insists on helping despite his worsening nightmares. Against Odin's wishes, they form a small group and head off on a quest to find the missing cube. Steve finds himself in a group of strangers (some of which don't like him too much), on an ice planet, battling re-surging memories as he tries to prove to himself and everyone else that he's just as strong as they are while keeping his struggles to himself.It might just end in disaster.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone, and welcome to the much-requested follow-up to my previous fic! If you haven't read it, I recommend it! 
> 
> Anyway, this story will still have plenty of action, and a little adventure this time round! Since Thor x Steve is already sort of established, I though I'd put up some barriers in the form of the Warriors Three and Sif (who is a bit of an asshole in this); I've taken some liberties with their personalities and only loosely based them off their appearances in the MCU, though I did try to keep their roles minimal. I want this to be mainly about Thor and Steve, the characters we really care about ;)
> 
> Loki is also present. He's a very complex character, one of my favorites in the MCU, so I'll do my best to stay faithful to his depiction.
> 
> There will be plenty of our goodest boi Thor being a big soft teddy bear as he tries (and does eventually succeed) to take care of a very stubborn Steve.
> 
> Chapter one is more of a prologue, but I wanted to throw this in to kind of set up some of the conflicts to come. I'm a huge fan of Tony/Steve as good friends (though I like my Stony too ;) hehe), so I had to throw a bit of that in here.

The Avengers were a powerful team, young as it was. Everyone had their place, and though they were still getting to know each other, it worked. 

Not just in battle, either, though that was certainly true. When everyone gathered together it was chaotic, but there was order there somewhere underneath. Sure, they tended to group off depending on specific life experiences or interests, but they would always come together for group gatherings. Tony and Bruce talked science, Natasha and Clint about spy stuff, and Steve and Thor would share battle stories or observe other conversations in shared confusion. It was very clear that the blonde duo were good friends. They had quickly bonded over their shared lack of knowledge about modern Earth, and their respective leadership roles. 

Steve was quiet by nature, reserved and observant, while Thor was loud and direct. Tony knew how to get Steve involved and excited by starting an argument, which he prided himself in, but Thor knew how to open up their Captain and put him at ease. 

They all had demons, but Steve seemed the most reserved about his. He was always happy to listen, to offer a sympathetic smile and friendly companionship, yet would never seek aid when he was clearly troubled. Steve was too easy to read, and though the team was getting pretty good at figuring out what might help when they noticed he was struggling, none of them had been too successful at actually getting him to speak up about what was bothering him. All they could do was slap a band-aid on the issue. Even Thor had levelled off with his effectiveness. 

Tony knew about Steve and Thor. He’d caught them squeezed together kissing in medical a few weeks ago, and hadn’t said a word to anyone, not even the pair in question. Steve seemed more at ease in general when Thor was around, but Tony wondered if he talked about what bothered him openly with the demi-god. It was none of his business, he told himself, what their honorable leader got up to behind closed doors... except that it was. They needed their leader in good shape, in the same way he insisted he needed his team sharp and healthy too. 

Besides, Steve was Tony’s friend. They had their obvious differences, and plenty of genuine arguments that were not just started for fun, but Tony still cared about the guy. 

“I’ll think of something...” Tony murmured, watching a holographic rendition of his latest suit upgrade spin in front of weary eyes. “Always do...” He was a fixer, and on top of that, knew a little of what he presumed Steve was going through. They both had a wide slice of PTSD in their trouble-pie. 

“Sir, Captain Rogers requires your assistance.” JARVIS sounded alarmed. Tony shot up and drained his coffee cup, glancing at his watch. The time read 2:33 am. 

“Take me, J,” Tony abandoned his work and slid out of the lab, wondering what on Earth Steve would need him specifically for at two-thirty at night. 

“Captain Rogers is in the swimming pool,” JARVIS explained, and Tony jogged around the corner hurriedly, already formulating images of what he might find. 

Steve loved to push his body. Where Tony turned to his workshop, Steve went to the gym. He was always wrestling with Thor on the mats, or racing him round the block at top speed. He liked to swim, too, claiming it was good for his stamina. The way he rushed out the water suddenly without explanation was an indication that maybe he swam for other reasons. Thor had been there every time, though, frolicking with Steve in the water, holding contests to see who could hold their breath the longest, and playing dodge-ball with Clint and Natasha. 

But that had been during the day. And Steve had _ always _ been with Thor whenever he was in water, and when he suddenly had to climb out of the huge pool and hurry to his room to dry off, Thor would follow. The others would leave them alone, and Steve would show up for dinner a couple hours later, subdued but recovered from whatever had ailed him, Thor at his side. 

JARVIS had already opened the pool door, and Tony slowed to a fast walk to avoid slipping. There was no Thor, just Steve, struggling to swim to the edge with floundering strokes, splashing and gasping. 

Steve was always graceful and purposeful with his movements. Tony hurried over to his friend, kneeling on the wet floor without pause and stretching out his hands. Steve flailed for them, long arms searching for an anchor as he tried to keep his face above the surface. Even in the soft moonlight and ambient lighting filtering in from the city just outside the huge window, he looked pale. He was frightened, eyes distant and his whole body shaking. 

“Hey, Steve, it’s me,” Tony tried, wrapping his hands around Steve’s larger one and pulling him to the edge. “What’s the matter? Needed a dip that badly?” It was impossible to hide the worry in his voice as he hauled the shivering Captain out of the water. Steve was struggling to get his legs under him, still panicked and choking as Tony pulled him standing and aimed him for a poolside chair. 

Steve didn’t answer, shivering like he was cold– 

Tony immediately changed directions, leading Steve to the hot tub instead. “Come on buddy, speak to me or I’ll get Natasha down here. You know she’s a master of interrogation-” 

“T-Tony...” Steve stammered. 

“Yeah, it’s me,” Tony urged Steve to the edge of the hot tub, where JARVIS had already activated the jets. Steve stopped, resisting. “Hey, Cap, trust me, kay? Get in. It’ll feel good.” 

Steve shook his head, and Tony thought the soldier might collapse. He gave his friend a gentle push, taking his arm and putting a hand between his dripping shoulders. Steve’s foot shifted forward and he dipped his toes hesitantly in the water. He seemed to register the heat, and stepped farther into the hot tub. Tony stayed at the edge, guiding his friend to sit before rolling up his pant legs and sitting down on the edge, sticking his feet in the hot water. 

Steve sank into the water, still trembling, but seeming to return to his rational mind. He looked a little ridiculous submerged just below his nostrils, a frown creasing sad and distant eyes. 

He closed his eyes and pushed his chin above the surface with a sigh. “What’you doin’ here Tony. Spyin’ on me?” 

“J spies on everyone, you’re not special,” Tony waved a hand. 

“Thanks,” Steve murmured, but there was gratefulness there. 

Tony smiled. “I should be asking what _ you’re _ doing here,” he started. “Swimming in my pool at two-thirty in the morning?” 

Steve wrapped his arms around his chest and folded up protectively. A tremor passed through his shoulders. “Nightmares,” he muttered, barely audible. 

“The ice?” Tony asked, and Steve went rigid. “And you thought you’d come down here, blow off some steam.” 

“Thought the water might help,” Steve admitted, staring at the patterns in the foamy water. 

“And you gave yourself a panic attack instead,” Tony sighed. “You’re lucky I programmed J to be nosy, or you might have drowned. Why didn’t you tell anyone?” 

“Everyone’s’sleep,” Steve’s mumbling was becoming more and more slurred as the Captain sank deeper into the water, clearly mortified about what had happened. 

“Hey, no, don’t pull that on me, Spangles,” Tony shook his head and grabbed Steve’s impossibly broad shoulder. “J, get Thor up here will you?” 

“Thor is already on his way, sir,” Jarvis replied. 

Steve jerked. “No, let him sleep-!” 

“Dude, shut it, you look terrible. I can’t carry you back to bed, and you can’t stay in the hot tub forever.” _ And as much as I hate to say it, you seem most likely to talk to Point-Break anyway. If you won’t open up to me, maybe you’ll confide in him. _

“You were sleeping...” Steve sighed. 

“I never sleep,” Tony scoffed. “You didn’t wake me.” 

“’m fine,” Steve murmured, but he was visibly shaking in the hot water. 

“You’re a bad liar, is what you are,” Tony retorted, spying movement out of the corner of his eyes; Thor, in a t-shirt and boxers, padding through the door. He looked a little tousled, but concerned and awake. 

“Guys...” Steve whined in protest as Tony hooked and arm under one of his and started to haul him out of the water. 

“Steven, what is the matter?” Thor asked, confused but taking Steve’s other arm and effortlessly lifting him clear out of the water. The demi-god set his friend standing on the ground and clasped his shoulders, looking him up and down. 

“Nightmares,” Tony explained, glancing down at his soaked jeans. “Thought he’d come take a dip. Didn’t work the way he hoped.” Steve couldn’t hide how badly he was still shaking, and that he needed Thor’s grip to keep his standing. Tony found a towel on a chair and brought it over, draping it around his friend’s shoulders. “You wanna talk about it?” 

Steve immediately shook his head, like it was a programmed response. He hadn’t seemed to give it any thought. 

“What troubles you, my friend?” Thor asked, wrapping a large hand around Steve’s neck to get the captain to look at him. 

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Steve whispered. “I’m tired... and cold... please, Thor, I can’t...” 

“Very well,” Thor sighed, and Tony with him. “I will bring you back to your room. We can discuss this in the morning.” The demi-god flashed Tony a sad but grateful smile and wrapped his arm around Steve’s shoulders, leading him slowly to the door. 

Tony watched them go, waiting until they were out of sight before he followed, trudging back to his lab to find some dry pants and collapsing back in his chair. “What are we gonna do with him, J.... you’d think catching the guy red-handed would earn you some explanations.” 

“It would appear Captain Rogers is just as stubborn as you, sir, if not more-so,” the AI responded, and Tony swore he heard mockery in the computer’s voice. 

“I resent that,” Tony huffed, picking up a screw driver and glancing around his lab. “How’s he doin’?” 

“My scanners detect that Captain Rogers is asleep,” JARVIS helpfully supplied. “Thor is with him.” 

“Good,” Tony sighed. The demi-god would make sure their Captain got a good night’s sleep, at least, and keep him from pulling antics like that again. “We’re gonna have to have a serious talk tomorrow, all of us. We can’t do this anymore.” 

JARVIS had nothing to add on that note. Tony looked at the component in front of him, exasperated. Machines he could fix. People, he couldn’t. Not as easily, anyway, and definitely not with a screw driver. “If all you needed was new gaskets, you’d be good as new....” 

\-- 

The next day, Tony rose earlier than usual. Steve still beat him, and was standing by the coffee pot watching the dark liquid drip. Bruce was at the communal table reading a newspaper. 

Tony went to the cupboard for toast, glancing at the Captain. His friend was focused on the pot, but glanced over at Tony. His expression was distinctly neutral, but at least he looked well-rested. A little on edge, but his eyes were bright and focused. 

Tony sighed, turning to face him. _ I promised myself. _"You okay?” 

“Yeah, good,” Steve gave him a smile that was entirely unconvincing. He slid Tony a mug of coffee and poured one for himself. “Thanks for your help.” 

“Yeah, well someone’s gotta look out for your star-spangled ass, even if you don’t think so,” Tony sipped his coffee. _ Oh no you don’t, Captain ‘I’m-Fine’. Nice try. A simple thank-you won’t get rid of me that easily. _ “Where’s Thor?” 

“Said he had something to do,” Steve shrugged, sipping his coffee and catching the slice of toast Tony tossed at him. 

“Well, when he gets back we’ll all sit down and have a good talk,” Tony replied calmly, but with firmness. 

“Tony, I said it’s fine,” Steve retorted. 

“What’s happening?” Bruce glanced up from his paper. “What happened?” 

“Steve had a panic attack in the pool,” Tony took a precautionary step backward and couldn’t help grinning round the rim of his mug at Steve’s angry scowl. 

“Tony! I said I didn’t want to talk about it-” 

“Stow it,” Tony emptied his cup and shoved past the Captain to refill it from the pot. “You’re a huge hypocrite, Steve-” 

“-says you-” 

“-and you can’t just pretend that didn’t happen!” Tony whirled around, nearly spilling coffee over the rim. “Look, dude, it’s okay, alright? Nobody’s gonna judge you.” 

Bruce was standing up, confused and concerned all at once. “Steve, you can talk to us, you know...” 

Steve turned so he could look at both his friends, chin pushed out a little and his expression stiff. He slowly put down his empty coffee mug like a cornered felon setting down a weapon. His tone was dark and guarded, bordering on rage. “It’s fine.” 

“It’s _ not _ \- “ Tony started, but Thor walked in. _ Just in time. You can talk some sense into him. _

But the demi-god wasn’t here to join in the conversation. In fact, he didn’t look like he was about to join them for breakfast as usual as he strode in wearing his traditional battle armor, red cloak flowing behind him. His expression was serious. 

“Thor,” Steve started, leaning in the direction of the demi-god like he wanted to go over, eyebrows furrowed. 

“I have been summoned back to Asgard,” the prince announced, walking over to Steve and placing a hand on his shoulder. Tony’s face fell for Steve’s sake. _ Right when we could use you... you connect with him better than the rest of us, and he needs you if we’re going to get anything out of him. _

“Why?” Bruce beat Steve to the asking. 

“Yeah, where you goin’?” Clint appeared with Natasha at his side. 

“Heimdall has located the Tesseract,” Thor explained, glancing around the group. “I must return and help retrieve it.” 

Tony frowned. “I thought Loki had it.” 

“He did,” Thor replied. “It was lost to him shortly after he left Earth with it.” 

“How long will you be gone?” Steve asked, regret in his eyes. 

“I do not know,” Thor replied quietly, equally regretful. He squeezed Steve’s shoulder. “Be safe, all of you. I will return as quickly as possible.” 

“Let me come with you,” Steve blurted. 

Thor appeared surprised, frowning. “Steven... we will be traveling across the galaxy to another world. Are you certain? I will not be traveling alone.” Even as he spoke, the prince was starting to smile. 

Steve glanced around the room, to each of his friends, opening his mouth. 

“We could all go,” Tony offered instantly. _ You still owe us a visit to _ _ Asgard _ _ . _ “Lend a hand... we’re a team, right?” The others nodded. Thor scanned the group, genuinely pleased. He beamed at all of them. 

Steve shook his head. “You guys should stay here and look after things. We can’t all go.” 

“Steve’s right,” Bruce agreed quietly. 

“I mean, if you don’t want me to come-” Steve started, but Thor cut him off. 

“I would be honored to have your help, my friend,” Thor nodded, grinning and firmly patting the soldier’s shoulders. The demi-god looked to each one of them once more. “I appreciate your offers of aid, but the Captain is correct. Some of you should remain here to watch Earth in our absence.” 

Maybe a break would be good for the Captain, and in that time Thor might be able to get some confessions out of him. _ Be careful, both of you. _ At least this time, the golden duo wasn’t being whisked away against their will. 

_ We’ll have that talk when you get back, Steve. _ Tony set his jaw. This would give himself some time to consult the others and think about what to say. 

\-- 

Steve went to pack right away, and Tony followed close behind, slipping into the Captain’s room before he could close the door. Steve glanced up and glared at him, storming to his dresser for some better clothes. 

Tony leaned in the doorframe. “For a guy who’s almost a hundred years old, you sure act like a kid.” 

“I’m not even thirty,” Steve muttered, taking off his shirt and putting on the one Thor had given him a few months back after their impromptu adventure through a portal. “What do you want?” 

“I want to make sure my team doesn’t tear itself apart,” Tony straightened, his voice a little more tense. “I want to make sure my _ friend _ is taking care of himself.” 

“I appreciate the concern, but I’m fine,” Steve took off his pants in exchange for the Asgardian ones. 

“Yeah, that’s obvious,” Tony rolled his eyes and spotted his friend’s shield in the corner beside him. He leaned down and picked it up, surprised as always at how light it was. “You were definitely okay when I dragged you out of my pool in the middle of the night.” 

“You had no right to tell Bruce about that,” Steve hissed through gritted teeth as he put his folded uniform in a duffel bag. 

“You can’t expect me to see you or anyone on this team struggling, and not try to help,” Tony stormed over, unable to help himself. “Fine, you don’t want to talk to me, or Bruce. Talk to Thor. He’s worried about you, and anyone with two brain cells to rub together could tell he’s your favorite.” 

Steve growled, but the tips of his ears grew faintly pink. He zipped up his bag aggressively. “Thor doesn’t need to listen to me. He’s got enough issues going on in Asgard without me bothering him about trivial things.” 

Tony backed up and blocked the doorway before Steve could get through, and the super-soldier glowered at him, towering over him with all his bulk and frustration. Tony didn’t back down, and tried not to lean backward. “Making sure our _ Captain _ is getting his beauty sleep is not trivial, Steve.” 

They stared each other down in silence before the engineer sighed and took a step back so Steve could squeeze by. To his surprise, the soldier stayed put. Steve relented first, sighing away the tension in his shoulders as he gave up trying to find counter-arguments. 

Tony softened too. “Hey, nobody can force you to talk. But you have to do it before you break. Those are my terms. Anyone in this tower will listen. Clint, Natasha, Bruce, me, Thor, all of us. Think about it, okay? We can come back to it when you get back.” 

Steve sagged. “Okay.” 

“Good,” Tony smiled and held up the shield, handing it over. A soft smile worked its way onto the soldier’s face as he shouldered the straps and snapped the disk to his back. 

“Thank you, Tony,” Steve leaned forward, and in a sudden gesture of vulnerability opened his arms for a hug. The older man embraced him back. “Thanks for coming to get me. Won’t happen again.” 

Tony smiled and patted Steve’s shoulder. “No probs big guy. Be careful out there. The team needs a bit of boy-scout optimism.” 

“You guys be careful too,” Steve pulled back, considerably relaxed. “Don’t kill each other while I’m gone.” 

“No promises,” Tony shrugged. 

They all gathered in the lawn where Thor normally came and went from, the demi-god himself standing in the previously-marked grass with Steve at his side. He called to Heimdal, and the familiar burst of rainbow light shot down, consuming the pair and whisking them up and away to Asgard. 

“They’ll be fine,” Natasha broke the silence. “They survived together before.” 

“Next time for sure we’ll get Thor to take us too,” Tony muttered. “Or ask him to bring us back a souvenir.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize if things are moving a bit fast, but I wanted to get through the set-up so we can head into the action and excitement! There will of course be drawings to accompany this story, and I am always open to suggestions regarding both artwork and plot!
> 
> Thank you for your comments and feedback, as always!

Asgard was just as brilliant as he remembered it, shining in all its golden magnificence. In Steve’s mind however, it was all secondary to the joy he felt that Thor had accepted his offer to help.

He strode alongside the prince now,  with new purpose,  last night’s incident in the pool and his recent conversation with Tony forgotten. They were headed to the throne room, as far as he knew. Thor hadn’t explained much about the mission, only that they had to retrieve the Tesseract from wherever it was being kept.

“Who else is coming?” Steve asked, breaking the silence as he glanced around. Despite his excitement and Asgardian outfit, it was hard not to feel out of place, especially with his shield on his back and duffel bag in his hand. He felt like a tourist in a foreign country, spending a night in a traditional hotel. If that foreign country were another planet, and the hotel a castle dipped in gold. ..

“My companions,” Thor replied, glancing his way with a smile, shining despite the underlying urgency brought on by their mission. “You met them during your previous stay here. Sif and the warriors three. I am pleased they will get the chance to meet you properly.”

“You sure they won’t mind my coming?” Steve replied, his brow creasing.  _ I hope I’m not a hinderance. _

“I think not,” Thor reassured confidently. “My father may object, but between sending you home or sending you with us, I doubt it would make little difference to him. I can vouch for your strength.”

“All he knows about me is that I needed your medicine,” Steve replied flatly. “What if he doesn’t take your word for it?”

“Then I will convince him,” Thor batted the concerns aside. “A lesser man would not have been able to stand and fight as you did.”

Steve swallowed his doubts. They were here now anyway, entering the throne room. Thor gestured to some guards to take Steve’s bag to his room, and Steve stared at the massive golden throne upon which sat Odin. One steady eye focused on Thor first, then flicked to Steve and held. There was disapproval there, perhaps a flash of surprise. Steve swallowed and followed Thor’s lead, lowering to a knee and bowing respectfully.

Odin’s power radiated the room, his authority resting like a yoke on Steve’s shoulders. His armor resembled his son’s, and the Captain could see where his friend got his stoicism from.

“Rise,” the king ordered, and Steve’s legs responded on their own, lifting him standing tall at Thor’s side. The prince kept one shoulder pressed firmly up against his. “Welcome home, my son.”

If Steve were a less perceptive man, he wouldn’t have noticed the taste of disproval in Odin’s voice.

“I returned as soon as I heard the news,” Thor replied. “Father, my companions are ready to form a team and reclaim the Tesseract.”

“And you brought this mortal to aid you?” Odin’s eyebrow twitched in accusation.

Thor’s cheek jumped as the muscle flexed underneath.  _ Uh oh... _ Steve thought. He didn’t know much about Odin. Thor didn’t talk about his family a whole lot, hadn’t given much away regarding his relationship with his father, only that they disagreed about many major issues. One of those being the presence of mortals in this sacred kingdom.

“This mortal is the strongest man I know,” Thor rebuffed firmly, and Steve had to fight back a blush. Now was not the time to be remembering the many nights spent curled up tightly under a blanket with the prince, the many kisses they’d shared.  _ That _ he was certain Odin would not approve of.

“But he is a mortal still,” Odin rose up, making no effort to hide his disapproval anymore. He set his staff on the ground with a resounding boom. Steve almost flinched, and the king glanced his way as if expecting him to .

“Father, Steven has risked his life for mine on more than one occasion,” Thor took a couple of steps forward to meet the king. “Without his courage and his strength, I would be dead. He is the worthiest man I know.”

“He made his choices,” Odin replied tersely. “They were his and his alone. I commend him for them, but he is still human, and therefore has no place here. I made this clear, and yet you scorned my goodwill to allow him to briefly rest here by bringing him back against my strict orders.”

“Perhaps had you witnessed him in battle, you would not think so low of him,” Thor replied with  icy calmness.

“I recognize he is a dear friend of yours, Thor, but he must return to Earth and be with his people. And there will be no mission.”  Odin concluded.

“The Tesseract is dangerous and must be retrieved,” Thor started, urgency bleeding into his tone. He was trying so hard to remain calm, but the battle wouldn’t be so easily won. “We must get it back.”

“It has brought too much trouble to this land!” Odin snapped his reply. “I will not have it behind my walls again. Leave it.”

“The Tesseract is dangerous and powerful, and belongs in our vaults where it will be safe,” Thor fought back. “You know how powerful it is, and so you must understand that it cannot be left to float the universe unguarded. It will likely fall into the wrong hands one way or another, and what will you do when those hands arrive to Asgard? It could wreak havoc on our people-”

“Enough!” Odin actually shouted, and Steve couldn’t prevent himself from blinking as the sound pierced his skull and rang in his enhanced ears. “Enough, Thor.”

The prince closed his mouth, staring down his father until finally, Odin resumed.

The king  turned his gaze from his son back onto Steve, who stood rigid. “Send him home.”

Thor opened his mouth to reply, but Steve grabbed his arm and silenced him. He regarded Odin with a firm, unwavering stare and used his Captain’s Voice. “Sir, I appreciate the hospitality you offered me in the past, and it is not my intention to disrespect that by coming here. I only want ed to help out a friend.”

Odin regarded him strangely, and Steve wondered for a moment if the god would strike him down. But he didn’t. His voice held the smallest amounts of respect, though it was still overshadowed by an overarching distain. “And I thank you for your help in returning my son safely to where he belongs.”

_ Asgard _ _ . He belongs on  _ _ Asgard _ _ , I belong on Earth. _ Steve swallowed and nodded, the message loud and clear. He offered a small bow and took Thor’s arm, tugging him toward the door. His friend relented, wrestling to keep a scowl off his face in favor of calm.

Odin was out of sight now, but before either had the chance to say anything,  Frigga appeared and smiled, gesturing for them to follow. Thor glanced at Steve before taking his hand and leading him after his mother.

\--

Frigga took them deep into the castle, to a small cellar lit by candles and filled with large wooden barrels . Four figures were already waiting for them.

“Thor!”  Volstagg rose from the table and clapped his friend on the shoulder. He turned to Steve and offered a hand to shake. “And company!”

“Indeed,” Thor smiled brightly, looking between his friends while Steve did the same. Not everyone  was as enthusiastically welcoming.

Frigga gestured to a couple of empty chairs and remained standing herself as everyone got settled. Steve offered her the same respectful nod as always. There was likely nothing he could do to repay her for the hospitality she had shown him.  _ She was the one who made sure I was healed and taken care of. _

That event felt like yesterday, and yet so long ago at the same time. The serum didn’t allow memories to dull, but Steve doubted he’d have forgotten  Asgard easily.

He must have seemed uneasy, because Thor’s hand  s lid under the table and rested quietly on his knee as the demi-god continued to speak. Steve hadn’t even noticed a conversation starting, and chastised himself for losing focus. They were forming a plan, of sorts, and he was a Captain. The title wouldn’t mean much here, but he’d offered his help, and he’d be damned if he didn’t offer up his tactical expertise.

“The Tesseract must be retrieved,” Frigga was saying. “Odin does not wish to send warriors into the barren wasteland.”

“Where has it ended up?” Thor asked.

“An ice planet far from the nine realms,” Frigga explained. “A colony of locals have possession of it, though it appears they do not truly understand its power. We must retrieve it before the y find out, or someone else learns they have it. There could be others searching for it as we speak.”

“Then haste is of the essence,” Thor agreed. “How do you intend to get us there? Heimdall is bound to Odin. He cannot help us.”

“I already have an idea,” Frigga replied calmly.

“Why is the mortal here?” It was Sif who piped up, gesturing a casual thumb in Steve’s direction.

_ I’m starting to wonder that myself... _ he thought, but Thor squeezed his leg under the table and spoke up with relaxed confidence. “Steven is a brave warrior with whom I would trust my life. He offered his aid, and I could not decline. I am proud to fight alongside him.”

Sif folded her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair. “He can’t slow us down.”

“I’m not going to slow anyone down, ma’am,” Steve replied firmly, but not unkindly.  _ This could be a very long trip. You won’t hurt my feelings if it turns out I’ll be more of a hinderance and you want to send me home, Thor... _ His heart ached at the very thought. Surely after all his friend had done for him, he could give him this. His mind jumped back to last night, huddled under the covers while  he tried to forget his bad dream and accidental panic attack in Tony’s pool.  _ That was embarrassing. _

There likely wouldn’t be any cuddling on this trip. Steve  wanted to drop his gaze down, but he held it steadily forward. Sif had no reason to trust his intentions or his strength; regardless of how adamantly Thor vouched for him, she would have to see it for herself. He would have to prove himself to all of them.

Volstagg appeared the least concerned with Steve’s presence. In fact, he looked quite pleased, boisterous and welcoming. He nudged food over to the soldier while the plan was being formed, mostly by Thor, Frigga, and Sif. Steve kept his mouth closed and filled it with food to make sure he kept his urge to offer input barricaded . It was not his place. Here, his titles meant nothing, and good intentions were worthless. There would be time to prove himself  along the way .

_ I’ve been in this place before, _ he reminded himself firmly.  _ I lived most of my life like this. Even after the serum, I had to prove I was more than a sack of muscle stuffed in tights. _

“The Tesseract is being held in some form of settlement,” Frigga explained, pushing forward a map. “Heimdall provided some reference points, but the terrain is still uncertain, as are the dangers it holds. You must be careful.”

Thor pulled the map to himself and Steve leaned over, immediately memorizing the visual data. It was oddly calming to stare at the paper, in this world of impossible technology and magic. Familiar. Just like the old days.

There was a lot of white, a grey square drawn roughly in the middle. Mountains overwhelmed the bottom right third of the parchment, but otherwise the map was mostly barren.

“How wide are the distances?” Steve asked without thinking, falling back into old habits. If he wasn’t supposed to speak, no-one said anything. Sif scowled and glanced up at him, while Thor simply nodded.

“They are difficult to accurately gauge,” Frigga replied. “But Heimdall assured they were vast. Several days’ travel at least between the mountains and the building .”

Everyone nodded solemnly, and the map was passed around the small party.

“You should all get packed,” Frigga explained,  and Thor’s companions agree, rising from the table and filing out of the room. When their footsteps receded, Frigga turned,  nodding knowingly to Thor and smiling at Steve. “It is good to see you again. Thor missed you a great deal. Your arm healed?”

“ Perfectly , ma’am,” Steve replied, smiling back and flexing his left fist. “And a lot faster thanks to you.”

“You’re a good man, Steve,” Frigga walked gracefully between the pair, touching his shoulder as she swept by, glancing at him with a glint in her eye. “Look after my boy, would you?”

“Always,” Steve grinned back, and Thor nudged him roughly.

“Steven is the reckless one, mother,” the prince protested in good humor, looping his arm through Steve’s and marching him down the hallway after h er .

“That’s  debatable ,” Steve smirked.

“We’d best get you some armor then,” Frigga chuckled.

“That won’t be necessary, ma’am, I brought my uniform-”

“The armor will be warmer, and more durable,” Frigga assured. “We can find you something that fits. ”

The queen led them through the palace and into a huge room filled with racks and racks of impressive weapons. Steve stared at them with interest. The serum helped both his mind and his body learn new fight styles, and the speed at which he mastered new techniques made him  hungrier to learn more . Thor must have caught the wonder in his eyes, because he pulled away and swept across the room to a sword hanging on the wall.

The prince lifted it off the wall and carried it over, offering the weapon out. Steve lifted his hands and smiled reluctantly, as much as his hands yearned to draw the weapon just so he could feel its weight. He’d never held a sword before, let alone fought with one. “My shield will be fine, thanks Thor. I don’t know how to swordfight anyway.”

“I’ll teach you,” Thor pushed the sword into his chest, grinning with confidence, excitement, and faith in Steve’s own abilities. Just as he had when he’d offered to teach him how to dance months ago...

Steve flushed and accepted the blade. It was very light, with a silver handle and leather grip. He slid it an inch from its delicately-designed sheathe and admired the sharp, perfect edges of the weapon.

“You should carry a weapon,” Frigga agreed with her son. “I cannot say what dangers lie ahead of you, but I am certain a blade will come in handy.”

“Yes ma’am,” Steve agreed. She was right. He smiled and slung the strap over his shoulder as they carried on through the armory.

Frigga found him some armor that would fit, commanding him to remove his clothes so he could get into what she’d picked out for him. No matter how many times he’d been in his underwear around other people in the army, around  _ Thor _ even, it still tickled his ears pink to slide out of the borrowed Asgardian casual wear so he could slip on the sturdy trousers the queen handed him.

They looked much like what Thor wore now, the fabric strong but forgiving. They were warm but breathable, and very comfortable. He strapped on a pair of heavy boots with thick soles and armored shins. Frigga handed him an undershirt, and finally slipped the  chest-plate over his head.

This was nothing like what he’d expected, and certainly nothing like the unforgiving leather armor he’d been given on Sakaar. Frigga did up the buckles and offered him his shield harness. The armor she’d picked for him sported a thick emerald blue cloak with a slit at the top like Thor’s, lining up perfectly with the magnet between his shoulder blades. Frigga strapped the sword to his back, and Steve snapped the shield in place over top.

Thor grabbed his shoulders and turned him in a slow circle. “It suits you,” he approved proudly as Frigga found Steve some gloves and strapped a pair of bracers to his arms.

“Comfortable?” the queen asked .

“Yes ma’am,” Steve grinned.

“Good, then go get packed. I’ll meet everyone back here,” Frigga touched his arm and swept away.

“Come on,” Thor gestured for Steve to follow, and together they returned to the prince’s quarters to pack.

There were plenty of people wandering the hallways, and very few paid the pair much attention. Steve wondered if that was because he’d been here before and most of them recognized his face form the party, or if he simply blended in with this new armor.  _ I could get used to this. Sorry Tony, you make me some pretty good suits, but you just can’t beat this. _

And blue, again.  _ Either Thor told his mom I look good in blue, or that seems to be the general consensus that it’s the color I look best in. _

“Put anything you wish in here,” Thor was holding out a leather backpack of sorts with a wide drawstring mouth and flap . It looked a bit on the small side for the term ‘anything’ .

“O-okay,” Steve murmured, unsure what he should bring. He spotted his duffel sitting on Thor’s bed and walked over, the back of his neck warming as he remembered getting drunk and collapsing in it a few months ago. Pushing the memory aside, Steve dug through the things he’d brought and held out a pencil and a small book.

Thor frowned at it curiously. “Is that all?”

Steve smiled and nodded, a little embarrassed as he carefully slipped the book into the bag. His arm definitely went in past the bottom....

“It is, as you would say, ‘enchanted’,” Thor explained. “It will fit all the items we need.”

That would explain it. “Is it heavy?” Steve asked , examining the bag .

“The weight is of no consequence,” Thor assured , and Steve believed him. The prince was capable of lifting buildings. A backpack with six people’s worth of travel supplies would be nothing for him.

Thor made sure they had everything and met the other four in the corridor on the way to the armory. They added a few more items to the bag before the demi-god shouldered it.  Volstagg boisterously complemented Steve on his new armor, and there were murmurs of agreement from the others, apart from Sif. The woman was distinctly keeping her distance.

“Is everyone ready?” Thor turned to the group, walking backward the last few steps to the armory doors, a grin lighting up his  handsome face.

_ This is it. I can’t believe we’re doing this. _ Steve smiled back and nodded. He was about to travel through space again with Thor, fight alongside him, offer his assistance as a friend –  _ What exactly are we? Friends for sure. What else? _

It seemed like a dumb thing to wonder, given the number of times they’d huddled up together in either of their beds kissing ferociously. Thor turned around to get the door before he could see Steve’s face flooding scarlet, and if anyone else present noticed, they didn’t show it.  _ I guess there won’t be any chances for kissing... _ Steve mourned, realization sapping at some of his enthusiasm. He wouldn’t able to sneak away to his room for private time with the demi-god. He doubted everyone in their small party would approve of the intimacy if they tried for it in the open . Steve wasn’t even sure he’d want anyone to know, even if they were fine with it.

_ I’m not even sure what we’re doing. I wouldn’t want to explain it to someone else. People tend to ask a lot of questions. _ And Steve just didn’t want this to be public. He was quite content to share private moments with Thor, and figure out where their relationship was going. So far, things hadn’t progressed beyond where they were, and both of them were fine with the slow pace. Steve was hesitant, and Thor was patient.  _ I can wait until we get back. I waited this long to get it in the first place. _

Yes, this would be fine. He’d be alright keeping a little more distance than usual. Thor seemed to be aware of his hesitance to share information of their current status, or maybe he was a little shy about it too. Either way, there didn’t seem to be any conflict regarding the secrecy.

All worry about his intimacy with Thor was nudged aside as the doors opened and Frigga greeted them, Loki at her side.

The air immediately became tense. Steve heard someone draw a weapon, saw Thor’s shoulders jump as the muscles leapt automatically. Someone else was growling a little. Loki regarded them with calmly contained amusement, standing erect  beside his mother as he perused the warriors like a curator in a prestigious museum.

“Surprise,” he said quietly, but not without some sense of eerie reverie. His knowing gaze settled on Steve, and he smiled. Thor grabbed Steve’s arm tightly, which seemed to amuse the god of mischief further. 

“You can’t be serious,” Sif stepped forward, sword in-hand. She pointed it accusingly at the offender.

Frigga calmly took a  step in front of her son. “You need him to get you off this planet.”

“He would betray us the minute we step foot off  Asgard ,” Sif retorted, and Thor stayed silent.

Loki ignored her, maintaining unwavering eye contact with Steve. “Welcome back, Captain. I see my brother has roped you into another one of his hair-brained quests.”

“No-one’s roping me into anything,” Steve calmly replied, keeping his arm loosely at his sides. Knowledge of Loki’s character was making him uneasy, even if logic was reminding him of the lengths  to which their former enemy had gone to ensure his and Thor’s survival. Ultimately, he probably owed his life to Thor’s wayward brother.

“Loki has agreed to help,” Frigga continued, making a polite but firm gesture for Sif to sheathe her weapon. “He agrees that the Tesseract must be reclaimed-”

“ Of course he would,”  Volstagg huffed.

“-and will offer his aid under the condition that you are civil.” Frigga concluded, and her tone suggested that was her wish too. Steve glanced between mother and son. He didn’t know the queen well, but he trusted her.

And he trusted Thor. His friend’s expression was firm, but he regarded Loki with a calm nod and said nothing, accepting of the circumstances.

Sif snorted. “Us be civil? We should be giving the conditions!”

“Without Loki there is no plan,” Frigga retorted. “Lady Sif, Loki has given me his word. If you are unhappy with the arrangements, you are welcome to draw out.”

“Let’s just go,” Sif growled out. Loki hadn’t stopped smiling, enjoying himself immeasurably.

“Everyone  follow ,” Frigga gestured, leading with Loki at her side to the back of the armory. She led them deep into the room, to a back wall, and placed her hand in the middle of a shield. The queen whispered a few words under her breath, and a section of wall shimmered, then melted away, revealing a secret door. The small party left the armory, and exited in what looked like a stable, Steve trying to hide his wonder.

Thor clasped his wrist and leaned over. “Have you ridden a horse before, Steven?”

“A horse? Yeah,” Steve confirmed. “It was a while back, but I remember.”

“Good,” Thor smiled, and a few minutes later everyone was sitting on horseback, following Loki out and into the forest above the city. Thor was an impressive sight in the saddle. He was tall to begin with, but absolutely towering sitting atop his white stallion. Steve grinned, allowing his own horse to follow along at its own pace. It was easy to get the hang of it, settling into the saddle with loose hips. Thor was continually glancing over his shoulder to check on him, offering him smiles, pointing at a landmark, or recounting a story from his childhood spent in these trees. The others were vastly silent.

They were nearing Loki’s secret pathway now, and as they descended into the mountains, a loud but distant horn sounded from the city.

“Father has noticed our disappearance,” Thor’s expression darkened, and Loki led them a little faster. “He will be searching for us. Heimdall is bound to serve him. Mother will only be able to stall for so long,  We must make haste.”

Steve glanced over his shoulder, almost expecting the king of  Asgard to appear behind them in a flash of rainbow light, but the coast was so far clear. He doubted it would be for too long though, if Heimdall could see them wherever they were. He’d be bound by duty to send the king after them.  _ Not a great way to get a guy to like you,  _ _ t _ _ o come back to his kingdom uninvited then help his son and the future king commit treason.  _ As Loki led them through a crevice in the rocks, and the portal shimmered faintly up ahead in the dim light, Steve felt a gush of cold air and shuddered.

Last night’s nightmare crawled at the flanks of his consciousness, and he suddenly wondered if he truly understood what he was getting into.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, now that the set-up is out of the way... let's get to some action! And just a taste of the drama to come B)

It reminded Thor a little of Jotunheim, this cold and snowy planet they emerged on. It was brighter here though, and there was more open space, not that they could see much with the brutal snow storm they’d emerged in. Thor caught sight of a golden shimmer, a sign that Loki was donning his armor with the usual magic tricks. Sometimes Thor tried to imagine magicking his clothes on, instead of having to get dressed like a normal person.

Thor glanced over his shoulder at Steve. His friend was staring straight ahead, shoulders folded inward a little and his expression resolute. The prince frowned. Steve had been troubled for some time now. Weeks. Last night’s incident in the pool had not been forgotten, merely tabled for later discussion. Steve had refused to talk on it, even when they’d been cuddled up in Steve’s bed together, safe and warm. His friend hadn’t stopped quaking for a long time, and Thor’s words had only seemed to shelf the problem for later,  instead of work to resolve it. 

_ Perhaps this will serve as a break of sorts, _ Thor mused,  _ I know you never like to be still for too long. You and I are cut from the same cloth in that regard... and indeed in many others. You are truly the most stubborn being I have ever met. I hope this quest may help me learn what to say or do to help you. _

Thor urged his horse a little faster to close the gap between himself and his brother, riding alongside him and turning to speak to the group. “We should search for shelter and make a base camp. We can assess the land when the storm eases.”

Loki ignored him, staring straight ahead, riding leisurely and unbothered by the cold. Thor always forgot that his brother did not have the same lineage as him. It was difficult to remember , given they’d grown up together....

The others murmured their agreement, poorly hiding their discomfort toward his brother’s presence. Apart from Steve, who just nodded mutely, but didn’t seem overly concerned about their sudden additional companion. He was focused on the middle distance, wind whipping at his cropped forelock and snow sticking to his eyelashes.

Thor had always been one for adventure, and the tense air about their little party saddened him. The only one at ease was Loki, casually trotting through the snow as the wind twisted his hair behind him.

“Can you see at all?” Thor asked quietly, for the sake of conversation. Despite what his brother had done in New York, they were in this together. Maybe Loki was just after the Tesseract, or maybe their mother had done her magic and convinced him to help for other reasons . Thor had known Loki for fifteen-hundred years, and he still couldn’t place a guess on his brother’s motifs. They were liable to change anyway.

“Nothing but white,” Loki replied tersely. “My blood may not be like yours, but it still does  not  grant me abnormal sight within a blizzard.”

“I did not mean...” Thor cut himself short, trailing off. “I was merely making conversation.”

“Was it your idea to bring the human?” Loki changed topics, glancing over.

“Steven offered his assistance. I could not turn him down,” Thor replied honestly.

“You  _ would _ have a soft spot for his kind,” Loki huffed, as if realizing something obvious. “Did you consider the danger of bringing a mortal man to a place like this? Or have you simply forgotten what happened the last time you and he went for a trip across the galaxy together?”

“This was his choice to come,” Thor replied calmly. “He is a brave warrior. I know not how much of our time on  Sakaar you witnessed, but you were present for our escape. You have seen his strength and courage for yourself . We are lucky to have him.”

“It remains that he is mortal.” Loki’s tone was steady and neutral, a frustration bleeding in that Thor only ever heard when his brother was trying and failing to reason with him. “Do not expect my aid if something befalls him.”

Thor stared into the  snow, glad he’d tied back enough of his hair to keep it out of his face. “You are and always were a talented liar, Loki. Perhaps so much so that you have tricked even yourself.” Loki lifted his chin a little. “I thought about your actions for a long time, but I could never justify them with personal gain. You may be able to fool me with your demeanor, Loki, but your actions have spoken for you.”

Loki had said nothing regarding his lifesaving intervention on  Sakaar months ago, and he didn’t appear to be changing that anytime soon.

Thor smiled knowingly and focused on the path ahead. “I am capable of logic and reason when it suits me. You have gotten the better of me many times, Loki, and for that I always admired you. Perhaps had I told you when it counted, things would be different.”

Loki was truly an intellectual wonder. Thor had to ponder, though, whether his brother was so good at getting the better of people because most of the time  _ he _ didn’t even know what he wanted, so how could anyone else? Thor doubted his brother ever had a plan totally laid out beginning to end. He’d seemed to in New York, but Loki was very good at adjusting and working things to his favor. He was nearly impossible to phase or surprise to boot .

_ He could be the downfall of this team, or the key to its success. We have no choice but to trust him.  _ And Thor was happy to do so. Loki had taken advantage of that in the past, long before their conflict had become so dire, but Thor had so few doubts in his mind that he could easily push them aside. It wa s foolish, he knew that, but after what Loki had done to help him and Steve during their stay and eventual escape from  Sakaar , he knew his brother still cared . T here would be time to think on these matters later, and discuss them, Thor hoped , but not now . As soon as the terrain started to slope downward, something erupted from the deep snow in front of them, sending frozen earth flying and shaking the ground with its roar. Everyone immediately drew their weapons, and Thor backed his horse up to form a line with the others.

Through the snowstorm rose a creature four times the size of Earth’s elephants. It was covered in  lush white fur, lashing a thick, flat tail. Thor observed the small rounded spines protruding from its back and turned his hammer in his hand. “Crawgahr!” he yelled. “It’s only a young one! But they are fast, and hungry. We must kill it!”  _ Before it kills us. They are formidable beasts. The young ones are often much faster than a grown one on account of its smaller size. _

It had truly been too long since he had rallied beside his  Asgardian  comrades and charged into battle. With Loki there, it was just like the old days. Thor wondered how many times Loki had gone along with his reckless brother’s ideas of fun.

There was an extra face in their usual party. Steve, sitting straight on his horse, hand ready to draw his shield from his back. He was undaunted, sizing up the enemy as Thor had seen him do many times in Earth fights, or in the Sakaarian arena. Wind, snow, cold, and the sheer size of his opponent didn’t matter. Thor grinned, warmed and encouraged. It did something inexplicable to his heart when Steve got that look of determination on his face in a fight. It was as if he erased anything that didn’t pertain to the battle, hyper-focus on victory. He pretty much always got it, too.

The Captain looked like he wanted to take charge as he always did on Earth with the Avengers, but he was turning to Thor, staring at him for direction. Thor obliged, honored. The beast was pawing, settling its weight to its back leg as it prepared to launch, picking its target out of the lineup of warriors.

“Steve, can you get up to its head?” Thor yelled over the wind and the beast’s threatening grumble. Steve nodded, backing up his horse and sliding his feet out of the stirrups. “Everyone else, fall into place!” The others had fought with him enough times to know where to go.  Volstagg wasn’t quite as spry, and so would take care of the legs.  Fandral would hit it from the side w ith Hogan w hile Thor took the front, drawing most of the attention to himself. Loki would circle behind and make use of his stealth, and Sif-

_ Sif normally attacks from above.  _ Thor had forgotten. As he raced toward the beast’s parted jaws, he saw her through the white haze, galloping forward to beat Steve to where she was most effective .

Steve was faster, and a little closer, urging his horse at its fastest pace and lifting right off the saddle. Thor had to risk a glance as his friend leapt off the horse and turned in the air, landing boots-first in the beast’s shoulder. The  Crawlgahr staggered under the force and Steve grabbed handfuls of plentiful fur, climbing rapidly up onto its monstrous shoulders. Sif had reached him by the time the Captain was straddling the creature’s broad neck, climbing up its shaggy, swiping leg after him .

“MOVE!” Thor heard her yell, and suddenly Steve was hurrying out of the way of her plunging sword, stumbling down the beast’s bear-like face. The  Crawlgahr lifted its head and Steve managed to jump toward Thor just in time, avoiding behind tossed and snatched out of the air by a pair of  hungry jaws. The Captain smashed into Thor shield-first, knocking him off his horse. They were almost buried in snow, and above them the beast roared with pain as Sif’s blade jammed between vertebrae in its neck.

The suffering creature launched forward on three legs, one dangling uselessly from the cut  Volstagg had made, its eyes wild with almost-human vengeance. Steve rolled off Thor and  lift ed his shield between the two of them and searching jaws. The beast pushed, and Steve fought it, digging his boots into the frozen soil. It was pushing him back, but it gave Thor the chance to stand up and set to spinning Mjolnir.

The  Crawlgahr released another enraged howl, stomping the ground with its front paws and nearly knocking Steve over with the vibrations alone. Sif had stabbed it again, jamming her sword into the back of its head. Thor started to move out from behind Steve’s protection, but he was too slow to stop it from nosing under the shield and hurling the  C aptain into the air. Sif lost her grip on her sword as the beast spun around and smacked Steve with its tail like a bat to a baseball. For some reason, the sight reminded Thor of the popular Earth sport...

This was not a fun pastime, this was  _ Steve, _ flying through the air into the snow far enough away that he was invisible through the blizzard. Sif was tumbling into the snow too, her sword still sticking out of the  Crawlgahr’s head.  Volstagg took out another leg, and Thor roared in time with a crack of thunder. His hammer smashed the beast in the jaw, and its head dipped sideways , offering the perfect opening for Thor to jump onto its muzzle, run up to Sif’s sword, and  force it deeper with his hammer.

The beast shuddered one last time and collapsed, its eyes glazed and its mouth hanging open.

Thor jumped down and pulled out Sif’s sword as he went, handing it to her as he spun to look for Steve. To his relief, the Captain was already pushing through the snow back toward them, shield snapped to his back, all in one piece. He was covered in white , disheveled, and a little unsteady, but batted Thor away as he approached .

Everyone mounted their horses quietly, Steve grunting as he hauling himself into the saddle. Sif was solemn and her lips pursed, while  Fandral and  Volstagg made idle conversation in an attempt to dispel the awkwardness. Everyone else was quiet, Loki at the lead while Thor let his horse fall back to walk beside Steve’s.

“You fought well, as always,” Thor praised, resisting the urge to ask Steve if the blow had injured him.  _ He is very strong. I must not demean his strength by coddling him. Not in front of these strangers.  _ On Earth, it was different. Thor was much happier to leap on Steve after a battle and make sure he took care of even the slightest injury, but their team dynamic there was different. Steve didn’t know these people very well, and Thor was aware that their first and only interaction with him previous had been at a low point, when his friend had been hurt and recovering. He would likely want to prove his strength, and being pestered about injuries wouldn’t help his reputation .

Steve quirked a smile, pulling from whatever world he’d drifted off to. “You too. Not that it was a fair fight... you kick serious ass.”

“That I do,” Thor cheerfully agreed, though he could not forget his mistake. He’d forgotten about Sif’s usual approaches when it came to battling these types of creatures, and it could have cost them. Everyone here was exceptionally strong and skilled in battle, but they weren’t indestructible. They could still be hurt, even if it took much more to do serious damage.

“We are nearing the mountains,” Loki announced loud enough for everyone hear, turning his head only so he could project his voice better. Thor scanned the distance, and he could make out dark shapes that indicated mountains. There would likely be shelter there, which was well and good because the blizzard had yet to let up. Thor wondered if it ever would, if maybe this planet was in a  perpetual state of storm.

Everyone fell silent again, and Steve slipped away into some kind of distant focus, locked in thought. It was worrying, but Thor didn’t know what to say, and didn’t think he’d appreciate being called out in front of these practical strangers. Eventually, they reached the mountains, Loki leading them under some kind of huge overhang and into shelter. They’d managed to find a huge cavern at the base of the mountain, high enough to ride inside on horseback, and spacious enough for a party three times their size to fit comfortably inside.

Thor dismounted and unstrapped his bag from the saddle, setting it down where everyone could retrieve their things while he searched the space. There wasn’t much, a few stalagmites and stalactites near the back, drip-dropping water into a small clear-water stream. He knelt to take a drink, the water ice cold and refreshing. They had brought plenty of water and food, but it would be useful to have a backup source. Other than that, the cave held nothing else of interest.

Thor turned back to find his companions unpacking. Loki was leaning against the wall near the entrance with his arms folded, watching the proceedings with indifferent calmness. Sif sat with her sword in her lap, aggressively swiping off the blood with a cloth. Steve was settled beside his horse, which lay beside him, catching its breath. His friend looked  distant, one leg pulled to his chest. He’d grabbed that small book and pencil from the enchanted bag and rested it against one knee, moving the pencil across the page.

The others were occupied, so Thor sat down beside him, noting his  rolled - up sleeves and discarded gloves. He peered curiously at the book, surprised to see a picture there.

“You are an artist,” Thor remarked, wondering how he hadn’t spotted this before. He remembered seeing Steve tucked away in a corner with a black-bound book and a writing utensil in-hand, completely focused on the pages in front of him. He'd never investigated.

“I guess,” Steve smiled in a distracted way as he continued to mark the white paper. Thor couldn’t make out the full image, but it was clearly a rendition of the beast they had just defeated. The accuracy was beyond remarkable.

“You are very skilled,” Thor murmured, entranced.  _ How strange...  _ And beautiful. He saw all the things that made Steve a brilliant warrior; the precision of his strokes, the delicate way he handled the pencil and moved it adeptly in long fingers.

“I have a perfect memory,” Steve replied quietly. “Helps.”

“The glint in its eye, the purpose in its stance... the softness of its fur, even... it is beyond a mere replica produced from a flawless image in your mind,” Thor commented, and Steve halted his strokes. “You have captured its character.”

Steve lowered the book and blinked drowsily at him. He looked... weary. Worn. A little pained, maybe. If they were alone, Thor would have leaned over and kissed him, and he almost did, bringing his face a  little closer. Steve licked his lips.

They were so close it was infuriating. Thor gently took the book from Steve’s hands to keep himself from making a move. His friend let him, easily surrendering the book so Thor could get a clear look at the drawing. The prince smiled, admiring the image. He wasn’t artistic himself, but he could appreciate the skill required to render something like this. He took the time to truly observe the finer strokes and flow in the drawing. “You must possess empathy to produce a recreation as sympathetic as this. It goes beyond purely memorizing a shape, my friend.”

The way Steve smiled and blushed a warm cher r y made Thor wonder if he’d had his skill acknowledged. Gently, he pushed the book back into his friend’s hands, fighting the urge to kiss him with all his might and instead settling for a friendly pat on his exposed forearm.

Thor frowned, clasping Steve’s wrist. “Steven, you’re freezing.”

Steve closed his book and set it aside, shaking his head firmly. “It’s fine, I’m alright, Thor.”

“Perhaps we should start a fire,” Thor suggested, standing up and walking to his bag. It was a little chilly in here. _Are you certain you’re alright, Steven? There is no shame in feeling the cold on a snowy planet amidst a blizzard._ Well, if Steve wouldn’t seek help, Thor would just have to figure out a way to warm him up without being too blatant about it. He smiled with revelation as he dug a bundle of firewood out of his bag. One thing that always seemed to bring Steve joy was physical exercise. On top of warming him up, it would give his friend a chance to show off what he could do in front of his new companions. _I have an idea._

Hogan came to help, arranging the wood and lighting it while  Volstagg dragged some food out of the bag and set about preparing something.

“When the storm clears  perhaps we can bring back some of the beast,”  Volstagg suggested. “I have tasted  Crawlgahr before, and it is quite delicious.”

“I will go with you,” Hogan offered, and Thor nodded in a pproval .

The prince turned to Steve, who was still quietly sitting in place, staring off into space. “Perhaps now would be a good time to learn the sword, my friend,” he offered cheerfully. As he’d hoped, Steve perked up and bounced to his feet, unstrapping his shield and resting it against the cavern wall.

There was plenty of space between the fire and cave entrance. The warriors three moved back to watch, while Loki remained in place and continued to stare out at the blizzard, though Thor caught his gaze shifting over. Sif stayed where she was too, continuing to clean her sword in unamused silence.

Steve appeared nervous, taking up his usual stance but continually shifting his feet. He only drew the sword from his back when Thor strapped his own to his waist and drew it. The soldier copied Thor’s grip perfectly, lifting the weapon as if he’d always wielded it.

_ Forget them. It is just you and me. You fought with Mjolnir with expert skill. You can master a blade in no time at all.  _ Steve might have a perfect memory, but he was also a keen learner in his own right, regardless of the serum. Thor knew that whole-heartedly.

“Feel the weight of the blade," Thor began, forgetting about everyone else in the room himself. He’d trained plenty of warriors in the past. This would be no different. “Turn it in your hand and learn its balance.” He demonstrated; very rarely did he find himself with a sword in-hand, but it was muscle memory to roll the blade in his palm, to turn it and change from a back-hand to fore-hand grip.

Steve did the same, once again copying the moves with his own. The sword Frigga had given him was medium in length, double-edged, with a hilt long enough to hold with two hands if necessary. Steve held it in one, making a downward chopping motion to gauge the drag and weight, eyes starting to slip into that focused state Thor admired so much.  _ That’s it. Forget the others. _

“Good,” Thor praised. “I have seen you fight with many weapons, Steven, knives and staffs in included. This will be much like those styles. Trust your instincts. I will attack first, and you defend and watch my movements.” Steve nodded once, adjusting his grip.

With anyone else, Thor might have gone slower, but he knew what Steve was capable of , so he lashed out with a swift diagonal cut. The Captain easily whipped up his blade and blocked the blow. Thor retracted his sword and struck again. Just as quickly as before, Steve blocked.

They continued like this for several minutes, Thor on the offense, circling his friend and giving him the chance to show off his reflexes while learning how the sword moved with his arm. Steve had always been light on his feet, so the footwork took him no time at all to master . Just as when they’d danced many months ago in their cell on  Sakaar , Steve was memorizing movement flawlessly, but his flow was lacking.

He was uneasy. Thor figured it was because of the audience. Though Steve was settling into a fighting mindset, he was still aware of watching eyes. Luckily, the others had the good sense to remain quiet, even  Volstagg , who usually offered up loud congratulations on the training grounds.

“Your turn to attack,” Thor offered, ceasing his own. Steve gave him no chance to rest, sliding  closer  and jamming his blade forward. The prince blocked and retaliated, grinning proudly as Steve threw back moves that had only minutes ago been used on him.

Finally, Sif ran out of patience, and Thor saw her throw down her cloth and rise to her feet. He blocked Steve’s blow and lifted a hand as Sif stomped over, and the soldier lowered his weapon.

“You are too soft on him,” Sif stated firmly, giving Thor a shove and turning her own weapon in her hand. “He will not learn if you coddle him.”

Thor blinked. “I am doing no such thing-” 

“You are. You proclaim him to be such a powerful warrior, yet you go slow on him. Is he, or is he not as  magnificent as you would have us believe?” Sif quirked an eyebrow, setting her gaze on Steve now.

_ That is not a fair judgement.  _ But Thor held his tongue and stepped back, sheathing his blade and inviting with a sweep of his hand. “Very well, Lady Sif, your experience is welcome. I am certain Steven can learn much from you.” And he glanced at his friend, apologetic-

Steve was already squaring off, his jaw firm and his stance more confident.  _ Oh, Steve, you have nothing to prove.... _

But he did. He had  _ everything _ to prove. To this new group of people who would have to trust him with their lives if they were to succeed in this mission. Perhaps he had something to prove to himself, too.  _ But not to me. You have nothing to prove to me. I know your prowess. Now let my companions see it, too. _

Sif gave no preamble, attacking fiercely. She was a skilled swordsmaster, and had bested Thor many times in the past. She was one of the best warriors in all of Asgard, one Thor had been proud to fight alongside for centuries. Steve was a brilliant warrior, and an adaptable one, but this was his first day fighting with a sword. Sif had many lifetimes of experience on him.

He was doing remarkably well, even Sif had to see that. Thor stood back to watch, eyes darting between the two as Sif tried to drive Steve back and reach through his defenses. The soldier defended himself with the speed and strength to match his Asgardian attacker, parrying her blow with neat blocks of his own and finally, _finally_ finding his rhythm. _That’s it, Steven._ Thor had seen Steve dance on the battlefield many times, and couldn’t get enough of it.

Sif swept low for his legs, and Steve  _ jumped, _ arching over her head in a neat flip and landing behind her. He spun and struck out, the flat of his blade striking her armored shoulders. The warrior spun in a flurry of hair and rage in her eyes, lashing out at him.

“Are you mocking me?” she growled, swiping at him harshly with her blade.

“N-no!” Steve retorted, blocking her rapid-fire attacks in alarm .

“You worry about hurting me, mortal?” Sif growled.

“You want me to cut you?” Steve retorted. “It serves no purpose to risk hurting-”

“You think you  _ can _ cut me?” Sif snorted. “Or is this some form of chivalry? Do you think me weak because I’m a woman?”

_ Oh no, her sensitive spot.... _ Thor winced. Steve would never intend to be misogynistic. He had the utmost respect for Natasha, for powerful women, women in general.

Steve opened his mouth to protest, but never got the chance, gritting his teeth as another barrage of strikes came his way. Sif was going all-out on him now, and serum or not, Steve wasn’t a match for her. Her blade bounced off his armor twice. Thor eyes lit up as she cut a gash in his cheek, but he wasn’t close enough to stop the fight before she was smacking the flat of her blade into his knee and felling him. “You have much to learn,” Sif growled down at him.

“That’s enough,” Thor barked, pushing Sif back. “That was too far. Steven is a trusted friend, as are you. I do not understand why you have  quarrel with him, but you must put it to rest. If you cannot trust him, we are doomed to fail.”

“I hope your faith in your mortal friend is not misguided,” Sif hissed back. “If you expect him to perform perfectly in battle,  _ then _ we will fail. He is a mortal, and he has less experience than a ny one of us ”

“We will fail if we cannot  _ trust _ each other!” Thor retorted.

“It was your choice to bring him,” Sif jammed a finger in his face. “And he got in the way today.”

“That was my error, not his,” Thor snapped back. “I directed him to attack at your usual position, and I am sorry.”

“Maybe next time direct him to the sidelines,” Sif turned on her heel and strode back to her things, sitting down and focusing intently on cleaning her sword once more.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we go, some more action!

It was a miracle Thor hadn’t noticed his broken ribs by now. Steve had been careful to hide them since that monster had smacked him out of the air with its powerful tail, quickly hiding in a corner of the cave to rest. The less he moved, the less chance there was of letting any sign of weakness through his defenses.

He’d forgotten all about his aching side when Thor had plopped down beside him and admired his artwork with warm smiles and sincere observations. Steve was always surprised at how  _ perceptive _ his friend was. Thor was by no means stupid, but every now and then he made a comment that was just so insightful and unexpected. Nobody had looked at his artwork like that since Bucky, not that he’d shown it to anyone... Nobody had ever said those things about it either. Steve was too humble to speak to his own skill, but he knew he was good. He just hadn’t thought about his abilities the way Thor had very astutely pointed out. He’d been a talented artist before the serum, but a perfect memory had definitely improved his abilities instantly. Suddenly, it hadn’t felt like a special skill anymore.

Thor had humanized drawing for him again, and probably didn’t realize how much those words had meant.

Then, he’d been invited to spar, and Steve could never turn down the chance to do so with Thor. His friend wasn’t just incredibly skilled, but he was a good teacher. It brought back pleasant memories of learning to dance in their little cell, just the two of them, alone...

Steve wished they were alone now. He didn’t like to be watched, and was smart enough to know that Thor was giving him chances to prove himself. The gesture was appreciated, but didn’t make the situation any less uncomfortable. He’d forgotten all about his broken ribs, but the tension alone kept him from sliding completely into a state of ease.

Then Sif butted in, and Steve truly wondered if Thor had bee n going easy on him. He narrowed his eyes, accepted the challenge whole-heartedly, and resolved to prove to this woman that he was a valuable part of this team.

Then, she’d taken him down, and there was no hiding the pain in his expression, the hitch in his breath as he recovered from the impact. Thor hurried over and gathered his sword for him, helping him sit up.

“Are you alright?” he asked quietly, and Steve nodded, wiping his cheek with a hand. His fingers came away bloody. Thor stared at the cut there, anger burning at the calm in his worried stare.

“It’ll be gone in an hour,” Steve breathed, wincing as Thor wrapped an arm around his back.

“What is it?” the demi-god asked, looking him up and down. There were no cuts or marks in his armor.

“S-nothin’,” Steve assured, batting him away and starting to rise. He glanced over his shoulder, and caught  Volstagg ,  Fandral , and Hogan staring at them. They quickly looked away and focused on the fire and cooking food. Steve pushed Thor away and stood up, sheathing his sword when it was handed back to him.

Thor was hovering his hands, desperation in his eyes. Steve bit his lip, and for a moment nearly relented to the desire to just collapse into Thor’s arms and let him do what he did so well : take care of him.  _ Not much you could do anyway... No bones to set, no bleeding to stop. All I can do is get some rest and let the serum take care of it. _

But Thor could make him feel better, feel warmer, feel human and taken care of. Steve wished they were alone in that cell or at the tower, where there was no-one to watch or judge. No-one to put on a strong face for. They could hide, be alone. Thor would bring him some ice for his ribs, wrap them up for the sake of providing relieving pressure, make him some tea and wrap him up in warm blankets. Then they’d just sit together, maybe watch a movie. If the other Avengers were having their own dinner and movie, Thor would get him a big hoodie and they’d go up together. Thor would guard his injured side from Clint’s friendly jabs or Tony’s nudges. Then, they’d go back to bed and curl up together. Steve would sleep, recover, and his wounds would heal.

It was a familiar routine, Thor looking after him post-battle, no matter the severity of his wounds. Sometimes he managed to hide them from his teammates, and sometimes he tried to hide them from Thor, too. His friend always saw through it, or found out when he lured Steve into a hug or a gesture that would force out a wince and give away his lie.

Lately, Steve had been ducking out of that routine more and more, seeking out his own space. His nightmares had been getting more severe, and he spent less and less time in the pool with his friends before a shiver coursed through his body and reminded him of the ice, of drowning. It was stupid; the water was warm, all his friends were present, and he loved water.

Then he’d just had to go swimming that evening, try and force himself to overcome these nightmares. Tony had caught him, cornered him, confronted him. He knew something was wrong, had alerted Bruce. It wouldn’t be long before the spies found out, too. Maybe they already had long before anyone else. Steve wouldn’t be surprised. Natasha had figured out about his and Thor’s growing relationship the first day the demi-god had returned from  Asgard after sending Steve back alone.

They’d all know, and they’d all come down on him for answers.  _ No, they can’t know. I can’t tell them. I can deal with it myself. They need to trust their Captain, and I have to be strong for them. I have to be strong for Thor. He’s trusting me to be strong now. _

So Steve did his best to forget the cold and walk as smoothly as possible to his little area of the cave, undoing the buckles of his armor as Thor watched him, and the others tried not to. It was painful to lift his arms over his head, but he turned away and hurried ly got his armor off.

Volstagg cleared his through, breaking the silence. “Food is prepared.”

They all gathered around the fire to eat, Steve a little more hunched than normal and silent as he ate what was given to him. Thor’s enchanted bag had been packed with more than enough food to feed seven super-humans. Steve wouldn’t have to worry about going hungry, or eating more than his share; he was already well-aware of how much food Asgardians could put away, especially Thor and  Volstagg .

“You did well with the blade,” Hogan nodded respectfully in his direction, and Steve couldn’t help but smile even though the praise felt bittersweet.  Somehow he couldn’t allow himself to believe it was entirely genuine, like it was expected for Thor’s sake, or out of pity.

“I’ll drink to that!”  Volstagg produced two flasks of liquor from the bottomless backpack and tossed one to Steve.

\--

The snowstorm eased, and Loki walked off, announcing he was going to find which direction they should go to reach the structure where the Tesseract was being held. Thor insisted he come and raced after him. Volstagg and Hogan left with rope and weapons, galloping off to salvage the dead Crawlgahr. Fandral and Sif sat by the fire to talk about trivial things, brush their horses.

Steve led his horse to the stream at the back of the cavern and watched it drink, admiring the power and grace in its muscles. He stroked its soft neck, enamored. Asgardian horses didn’t bear any differences to Earth ones, not that Steve could see , though t he beast did appear unnaturally strong, the way it had galloped through such deep snow earlier. They’d packed plenty of food for the horses too. Steve offered his an apple, and the beast picked it off his palm with velvety lips, crunching down the whole thing.

Petal, Frigga had said his name was. He was a beautiful creature, mostly dark grey  save for white fleck on its rear and a diamond on its forehead. He was friendly, too, bumping Steve in the chest with his nose. Steve gave it a fond rub. Petal nibble d his hand  in  search  of  more food. Steve offered another apple.

There was a soft roll-out mat for everyone, thin but surprisingly comfortable. Steve walked back to his and sat down, Petal following and  laying next to him. He’d been surprised at how soft the mat was, though not too concerned about sleeping on rocks either way. He’d slept in worse conditions during the war, and the serum ensured any sore muscles didn’t stay that way for long. With Petal’s broad flanks between himself and the other two present, Steve felt safe enough to lift up his undershirt and look at his ribs.

There were at least two broken, and a few more cracked. The serum was already on it, and he could feel the deep itch of accelerated healing mending his bones. The bruising was striking, though, and painful to look at. For a moment, Steve could feel Thor’s hands on his skin, doing whatever possible to ease his suffering. Steve bit his lip, guilt sinking into his shoulders. He shook his head and gingerly lowered the shirt. Thor didn’t need to worry about him. Sif already thought little of him, and she didn’t need any more reasons to doubt him. None of them did.

At least his cheek was healed. The soft flesh was unblemished once more. Steve reached over for his sketch book and winced as the movement tugged on his injuries. His shield had taken the brunt of the blow, but he’d landed on his side. His shoulder and hip were probably bruised to hell too. They certainly felt sore.  _ At least I managed to hide it from Thor, _ Steve thought, praising his own stubbornness and ability to push aside physical pain in favor of pure focus on a fight in front of him.

Petal heaved a sigh and Steve turned to face the horse, laying open his sketchbook.

The Earth shuddered beneath them. Sif shot standing,  Fandral on her heels as she raced for the entrance and peered out, sword drawn. Steve stood up and followed, but kept some space between them, stepping out of the shelter and staring at a hazy sky that threatened to whip up another storm. There was nothing but white, and mountains stretching into forever to the left and right.

“What was that?”  Fandral asked.

“No idea,” Sif breathed, and they all looked to the skies for signs of Thor’s dark, lightning-pregnant clouds. There were none that they could see. The trio stood there, searching the horizon for the source of the earthquake, or for either of the pairs that were out there. There was nothing, just snow.

\--

They waited, conflicts forgotten in favor of worry for their friends, pacing but mostly silent.

Volstagg and Hogan returned first, whole and dragging back sections of the  Crawlgahr with ropes tied to their saddles. The others ran to help, dragging the meat inside and checking the two warriors for injuries. There were none.

“What happened out there?” Sif demanded, but Volstagg just shook his head.

“I do not know,” he replied, searching the cavern as he dismounted. “If you felt the tremor too, it was not us. Thor and Loki have not returned?”

“Not yet,” Sif replied, expression darkening. “If Loki has done something...”

“He hasn’t,” Steve murmured, and everyone looked at him with varieties of confusion and imploring. “He wouldn’t. Thor told you what happened on  Sakaar ?” He felt so out of place without Thor there.

“Loki cannot be trusted. You are a fool if you think one event changes that,” Sif hissed, and Hogan touched her arm while  Volstagg offered Steve apologetically  upturned eyebrows.

Steve tightly grasped his emotions, refusing to retaliate with aggression, give her more fuel. This was different than Tony. Because Tony genuinely cared about him, even if they argued constantly. Steve hadn’t been sure right away, but Tony had come for him in the pool, embarrassing as it was to have someone catch him in that state, had gotten him to safety, made sure he was okay. And he’d come looking for him later, trying to help. Maybe the man’s methods were questionable, but  ultimately, he meant well.

Sif just seemed to hate him. There was no  _ way _ she could care, since she didn’t know him, and she wasn’t trying. For one reason or another, she resented him.

So Steve was calm, because if he argued with her, she would have more reason to dislike him. He had to prove to her that he was strong enough to be here, and that meant being strong over his emotions as well as in battle. “I’m not saying I trust him. But I trust Thor, and his mother, and the fact that Loki already put a lot of work into keeping me and Thor alive. That’s all I’m saying. I don’t think he’d throw all that away so easily.”

“The mortal is correct,”  Volstagg quickly joined in before Sif could argue, patting Steve on the shoulder. “I do not believe the tremor was related to his power, either. It felt much like an earthquake.”

Sif squared her jaw, but made no further comment. Everyone drifted back into the cave, except for Steve, who stood straight in the opening to watch and wait. Therefore, when a familiar bolt of  rainbow light cut down from the sky far in the distance, he saw it.

\--

The silence was deafening. Thor had never really known what to say to his brother, even before the catastrophic events that had driven them apart. He certainly didn’t know what to say now, with New York and  Sakaar swirling around his head at once. He found himself torn between heart-warmed relief that his brother was alive and had helped them, and lingering anger for the  Chitauri invasion.

Loki wasn’t saying anything either.

Finally, Thor had to speak up, lamely attempting small-talk. “No sight of the building...” he remarked, glancing across at his brother.

“It may be on the other side of the mountain,” Loki replied with a cold edge to his voice. “It may take a day’s travel to cross on horseback. It would take you only a moment to fly up and observe from above. I can continue to explore here.”

Thor frowned, perplexed. “Did it not occur to you that I may be interested in spending this time with you?”

Loki just stared ahead, answering with his silence. He did not reply for a few painful moments. “We must be efficient.”

Thor stared ahead, at the endless snow before them, then to the skies, as if it would hold answers or advice. “We have to talk one way or another. If not now, then when?”

“There is nothing to speak about,” Loki replied tersely, some anger seeping into his guarded tone. “I have no regret. Perhaps you think I am misled, but I made my choices, and I stand by them-”

“Then why did you come for us?” Thor cut off the excuses. They meant nothing. He stared at his brother calmly,  _ knowing _ that he must have felt something other than hate to do the things he had. “If not out of regret, then what? You helped us,  _ both _ of us. You could have easily let Steven die if it was me you wanted to rescue. You could have just as easily let me die if you wanted to punish  me. But you kept both of us alive. You made sure we were treated, and then you helped us escape. Was it for fun? Another one of your games? Perhaps this is a trick, a dream-”

“Enough,” Loki growled. “Fine. You want me to say I care, brother? You seem to know what I was thinking already. I need not justify my actions to you. Have your guesses. You’ve convinced yourself of my motives on your own. Does it matter why I did what I did?”

“It does!” Thor shot back.  _ This is progress. _ “It does, Loki... regardless of what I may have led you to believe, I do care about you. We all wept for you when you fell from the bridge-”

“I know, you told me,” Loki ground out, stiff in the saddle. “A m I supposed to thank you for your sympathy?”

“No, no, brother...” Thor sighed.  _ Or perhaps not... Mother, I wish I had more of your wisdom in my blood. My best does not seem to be enough. _

Loki sighed too, slumping forward a fraction. His voice was quiet, borderline timid while still dripping with resentment. “Why do you trust me?”

“Because you are my brother, and despite your faults, you are not entirely evil,” Thor offered his brother a wide grin of confidence, hoping that his usual confident and slightly naive demeanor might lighten the mood. “And I love you.”

Loki stared at that smile for a moment or two before he turned his head and fixed a stern gaze on the snow before them. That scowl seemed very forced. Thor grinned and looked ahead too.

“How many times must I thank you for your help before you acknowledge me?” the prince persisted.

His brother just snorted roughly, but said nothing.

They kept riding for a few more minutes, eyes peeled. Now that the terrain was mostly flat and the blizzard ended, there was no chance of anything sneaking up on them-

Thor’s horse dropped beneath him, the ground giving way with a puff of snow. The demi-god yelped and slipped his feet from the stirrups, crouching on the saddle as a figure rose from the ground beside him.

It appeared as though some sort of trap door had opened under him. More must have opened around them, too, because other figures were bursting out of the snow and surrounding both brothers. Thor spun Mjolnir, Loki drew a knife in each hand from nowhere, and they attacked.

Whoever they were, they were fast, and dressed for the weather. They appeared human in shape and movement, but were covered in tight layers of clothing all over, so it was impossible to confirm. They were strong though, unhindered by the deep snow. Whatever material they were wearing was snug and aerodynamic, as well as  thick. Loki’s blade barely cut it when he slashed his first attacker.

It was no matter. Mjolnir would make quick work of them. Thor swung it at the nearest enemy and smashed him under the chin, throwing him into the air. The body fell, lifeless, and more attacked, drawing all kinds of weapons from their person. One held up a curved sword, while another brandished a pair of long daggers and went right for Thor.

The prince was at a disadvantage here, in one regard; a hammer wasn’t the best weapon against a long blade. Then again, Mjolnir was good for more than just hitting things. Thor would call lightning as soon as he got the chance. These fighters weren’t giving him any openings, striking hard and with frightening accuracy. They were coordinating, too, leaving Thor no breathing room. Loki either, though this was much more to his brother’s strengths.

_ I can worry about him when I have the chance to turn my back, _ Thor reasoned, blocking a sword, then a knife, then another sword with Mjolnir.  _ I should have brought my own sword. Next time. _

Thor found an opening, ducking a slash, blocking a stab with Mjolnir, and punching up under the rib cage of the nearest enemy with all his godly strength. The man went flying, ribs crushed. Thor turned to locate his brother, spotting him holding his own just fine against his share of enemies. Several had already been dealt with, the snow stained red where their bodies had sunk down. Still, Thor backed up as far as  opportunity would allow, wanting to stay close to his brother. His horse wailed from where it was trapped in the ground, and Loki’s paced nervous circles without its rider, keeping its distance but not fleeing.

It seemed like they were winning. Of the roughly one score of attackers, almost half were dead or dying. Then, the ground shook, and Thor lost his footing. The enemy hardly stumbled, and their lack of surprise led Thor to believe this was a regular occurrence. Regular enough to be expected. It was damn  well surpris ing for the two visitors, though, and Thor paid for it. The opening he left was enough to invite a sword through his defenses. The blade slipped perfectly through a gap in his armor, hooking horizontally into his side and out his back. Thor growled with surprise, regaining his footing and striking the hands gripping the blade with Mjolnir, smashing them. The blade was released, and Thor ripped it out, swinging it at another attack er and slicing a deep wound in his stomach. Then, he spun and struck down the man who had stabbed him, for good.

Demi-god or not, it hurt, and it was bleeding. Thor ignored it, as he had in past battles, and gripping Mjolnir tightly. This wouldn’t kill him, but it had taken him by surprise, and he lost his footing to the shock this time. The snow cushioned his fall, but he struggled to right himself as it swallowed him, soaked with red as his battle-warmed body bled despite the cold. The enemy descended on him, covering the sky, and he hefted Mjolnir upward.

Loki appeared, as he usually did, out of thin air. Sometimes it was magic, other times he was just that fast. And Thor just smiled, because he  _ knew... _ In silence, Loki disarmed the closest attacker and killed him with swift knife work. He wasn’t a flashy fighter, usually stayed back if he could, but when he was in the thick of it, he was a devastatingly effective warrior. The snow wasn’t bothering him at all, hardly slowing him down. He was in his element, movements perfectly countering these graceful natives’.

The remaining bodies fell, and Thor  stayed where he was, smiling contentedly to himself. He could lie here a moment, catch his breath, close his eyes...

“Get up.” Loki loomed over him, a set of reins in each hand. He let go of the horses to offer his hands, wearing a mask of annoyance to conceal the concern Thor could still find in his eyes.

“I knew you cared,” Thor grunted, too pleased with himself to be bothered by his brother’s sternness. He accepted the help, and Loki hauled him to his feet. They both stared at the bloody snow, then at Thor’s stomach. “What was that...”

“An earthquake,” Loki replied as if it were obvious, glancing at the bodies littering the snow.

“We should head back,” Thor suggested, reaching for his horse’s reins.

Loki glared at him. “ Yes.  If we con tinued  farther , you would waste my hard work.”

Thor couldn’t help but grin. He’d been stabbed  –  _ impaled _ _ – _ but his brother was acting more like himself. He slid his foot into the stirrup and Loki watch ed him haul his body into the saddle with a little less grace than usual, then hold out his hand for Mjolnir. The hammer burst from the snow and landed neatly in his palm. Thor beamed at his brother. “Your hard work is much appreciated. Come on, let’s head back. Grab one of their weapons, and perhaps our friends won’t think  _ you _ stabbed me.”

Loki smirked at the joke, hopping  o nto his horse and taking the lead. Thor followed alongside, looking forward to a warm fire and some food. They hadn’t found the facility, but overall he counted the excursion a success.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a bunch of idiots in a cave together. Loki might be the only person there with two brain cells to rub together.
> 
> Thank you as always for your comments! They mean the absolute world to me <3 It's been a busy few days, but I promise I have more art on the way!

Thor pressed a hand into his side as they trotted back to their shelter. Over the course of his life h e h ad sustained many wounds, too many to count. Experience told him this one was unlikely to be serious, but it still hurt, and he could feel weakness soaking into his bones with every drop of blood that escaped his body.

Steve would be in that cave, waiting for him. During his time with the Avengers, it was very unusual for a fight to land anything on him, but on occasion he’d brought back a cut or two that could use a dressing. Thor wouldn’t ever forget what it felt like to have Steve’s slender fingers tending his skin as meticulously as he’d drawn that picture. He smiled to himself, wanting nothing more than to be back with Steve, to be gazed at with such caring blue eyes, to be touched with soft skin and gentle strength, to be cared for. Thor was a warrior, and a stubborn one. He would sit still for treatment, but leap to his feet the second it was over and ignore any pain that followed. With Steve, he was happy to  rest a little longer .

Loki was casting him a look out of the corner of his eye,  incredulous . Thor gave his brother a cheery thumbs-up and shook himself from his day-dream. Best to keep focused, for safety and to ensure his brother wouldn’t worry. Loki could pretend all he wanted, but Thor knew he was concerned. A hundred years ago he might have been annoyed, but today  the concern warmed his heart and gave him strength.

A colorful glint on Loki’s shoulder caught Thor’s eye all of a sudden, and he peered at it, watching the reflection dance until he recognized the pattern. His eye flew wide and he turned in the saddle, ignoring the sharp pain in his gut as he did so. “Loki.”

Loki turned as well, and they both stared at the distant pillar of rainbow light blasting down from the heavens: the bi-frost. Odin. Odin was here. The brothers made eye-contact and spurred their horses into a gallop. Luckily, the cave wasn’t far, and Thor spotted Steve standing in the entrance immediately. Warmth spread through his chest and soaked into his bones, granting him renewed strength.

“They’re back!” Steve called over his shoulder, racing into the snow to meet them. He scanned both of them up and down.

Loki slid off his horse and hung back as Thor started to dismount. His hands twitched at his sides, but Steve was closer and had already spotted the blood, rushing to help. Thor smiled gratefully at his brother, which earned him a tight , defensive scowl.

“What happened?” Steve asked, holding out his arms to offer stability and assistance, eyes bright with worry. He pulled Thor’s arm over his shoulders without hesitation and led him into the cave while Loki followed with the horses.

“An attack,” Thor calmly replied, allowing Steve to shoulder some of his weight. He could have easily walked, but he couldn’t turn Steve down, not with that face...

“Scavengers,” Loki spoke up, walking past the others as they gathered with concern and curiosity around the ir prince. “Natives to this land, I would assume , by the way they moved .”

“And an earthquake of sorts,” Thor added.

“Where’s your bed?” Steve asked, pausing and looking around the camp. Sif hung back, disapproval in her expression as she glanced between Steve and Loki. Thor ignored her and pointed to where he’d unrolled his mat. Steve took him over and sat him down while  Volstagg went to start dinner, and Hogan rummaged in the enchanted bag for supplies.

“It is not serious,” Thor assured with a pained smile. As much as he loved Steve’s caring touch and worried eyes, he hated to put his friend through more stress than was necessary.

“Maybe not life-threatening, but getting stabbed through-and-through is still serious,” Steve chastised, kneeling at his side and undoing the fasteners on his armor. The soldier got them undone and Thor let him, keeping his hands out of the way. Steve did the work of getting the chest-plate off, setting it aside an d helping him out of his undershirt . “That’s bleeding pretty bad. It’ll only get worse as you warm up.”

“Here,” Hogan joined in, crouching on Thor’s other side and handing a  handful of supplies wrapped in cloth to Steve.

Thor glanced between the two, smiling to himself. Hogan was usually the one who took up the task of patching up any battle wounds in the field, but he was offering the supplies, and thus the job, to Steve.

“Are you sure?” Steve asked, setting the parcel by Thor’s knee.

Hogan nodded firmly and gave Thor’s shoulder a squeeze before returning to the fire. Steve blinked at Thor with hesitation, and the demi-god gave him a welcoming nod.

“I have trusted you with my life,” Thor smiled. “I would certainly trust you with something as trivial as this, my friend.”

Steve looked away, flushing an adorable pink as he fumbled with the little parcel of supplies. “ S’not trivial,” he muttered. “ So don’t say that.”

“Very well, Doctor, as you wish,” Thor had to at least try to lighten the mood.  _ I would rather you than anyone else in this room, Steven. Please do not be put off by Sif’s  _ _ poor  _ _ manners _ _ and judgement _ _ . _

The wound itself was not serious, not for a demi-god, but Thor had to submit himself to Steve’s care if for nothing but the man’s confidence. And how many times had he chastised Steve for evading care? It would be hypocritical to refuse it now, or to insist that it wasn’t worth all the fuss being given. At least the others backed away and gave the two some space, save for Loki, who was suddenly looming over them.

“Odin is coming,” he announced, more to Steve than anyone else, though he turned to glance at the others too. “I have no doubt that he has sent an army to halt our mission and arrest us, but Heimdall landed them far enough away that we can rest for a day before we must move.”

“Was that what caused the earthquake?” Steve asked, glancing up from his work to look at Loki.

Thor opened his mouth to reply, but his brother c ut him off . “No, it was not. The earthquake happened far before the bi-frost opened,” Loki explained. “The two events are unrelated.”

Steve nodded, and p ress ed Thor’s hand over the wound in his stomach, pushing him forward to get to his back. Loki  returned to his place near the cavern entrance but  watched, stoic and neutral. The others kept silent.

“How long will it take this to heal?” Steve asked quietly, pushing on the wound from either side and leaning around to make eye contact with Thor. The prince would have sworn on Odin’s throne that he’d genuinely gotten lost in the Captain’s eyes for a moment or two. 

He was tough, and just shy of indestructible to the humans he fought with on Earth, so it was easy to forget or purposely ignore his own suffering. It was good to be cared for, by these hands that were cautious no matter how strong he was.

Regardless of the warmth it brought him, he still wanted to make the little worry bump between Steve’s dark eyebrows go away. Thor smiled reassuringly. “Not long. Perhaps a couple of days.”

Steve lift ed his eyebrow, searching his face with his Captain’s stare. “Is that in the ideal case? Where you’d be getting plenty of rest?” A smirk was fighting for supremacy.

Thor replied with the best honest grin he could manage. “Of course, Captain.”

“Then you’d better rest up while you can,” Steve’s eyebrow jumped and his lips were trying to grin back. To his credit, the Captain managed to uphold the faux-stern mask quite well.

“That I should,” Thor smirked back. Steve blushed and looked back down at his work, the sternness peeling completely away. The prince pretended not to notice, distracting himself from his wound with the curve of Steve’s shoulders flexing under his shirt. A grunt escaped his lips as Steve pushed harder, fighting to stem the blood flow once and for all. The Captain murmured an apology but didn’t let up, not even as Thor’s head fell forward and landed on those impressive shoulders. Unable to stop himself, the prince reached around Steve’s back and grabbed a handful of  shirt , gritting his teeth and turning his face into the Captain’s neck.

Were the others watching? Maybe they were... But it didn’t matter, because Steve’s head was obscured. They wouldn’t be able to see the small kiss he pressed into Thor’s collarbone. It was a torturous reminder of the kissing sessions they’d shared in privacy, but he’d take it, and the comfort was most welcome. He smiled a little.

Finally, the pressure eased up, and when he was satisfied the bleeding had slowed, Steve pulled back. Then untangled themselves, and Steve e xchanged bloody compresses for clean ones. “Hold these,” he murmured, setting them in place. Thor dutifully allowed his faintly-trembling hands to be guided into place, applying as much pressure as he could managed while Steve got the bandage ready.

Perhaps it was his imagination.... Thor sat still, tipped in favor of his impaled side, watching Steve move. He’d lost enough blood to feel tipsy, so maybe that was why.... No, Steve definitely seemed stiff  and guarded , lacking his usual grace .  _ My friends are truly making you uncomfortable... I should not have proclaimed your strengths so adamantly. I should have let you prove that to them instead of building these expectations of you. Forgive me for my need to boast about you to all I meet. _

“You’re one tough bastard, you know that?” Steve murmured, touching his shoulder and jolting him once again from his thoughts. Thor looked at him with a drunken grin and nodded. Steve blushed. “Yeah,  course you do. How is it? You can be honest.”

“In that case, it is indeed very painful,” Thor admitted honestly, though his wince would have given him away regardless. Steve squeezed his shoulder and lined up the end of the bandage, whispering another apology at the grunt he elicited. The Captain started to wrap the bandage around his waist, and Thor couldn’t help admire what of the man he was able to see. Broad shoulders filling out his undershirt, a warm glow from the nearby fire flickering on his skin... and a distinct hitch in his breath as he twisted.

Thor furrowed his brow and lowered his voice, feeling very sober all of a sudden. “Steve?” he whispered.

“Mmhm?” Steve kept  wrapping but  flicked his eyes up, concerned. “Sorry, I’m almost done-”

“Are you hurt?”

The Captain stared at him, suddenly breathing very deliberately. He licked his lips, wrapping another loop in silence. “I’m fine, Thor.”

_ And there is  _ _ your _ _ tell, an immediate give-away. W _ _ e both know that ‘I’m fine’ doesn’t usually mean ‘I’m not hurt’. _ _ For a smart man, you can be quite daft.  _ “Steve, are you?” He wouldn’t give up until he got a straight answer.

Steve glanced up at him, tying the bandage. He tried for a smile, but it was weak and forced. “Try worrying about yourself for now, okay? I’m fine. You, on the other hand, are nearly as pale as me. Get some rest. Stop worrying about me. ”

He had a point, that deflecting bastard... Thor couldn’t deny he felt weakened by blood loss and pain , unable to deny that the idea of getting some rest did sound amazing.  _ You look like you could use some too. _ But as Hogan appeared at his side and passed Steve a hot cup of tea and a flask of liquor over his chest, he was reminded of what kept him from a great many things he longed to do.  That list of longings was getting harder and harder to  suppress .  One, he wanted to yank Steve down on top of him and kiss the breath right out him. Two, curl up under a blanket together and rest in the warmth and security of each other’s embraces.

Three, the most infuriating to be kept from, was to pester Steve until he admitted to his injuries. Steve was hiding something, that was obvious. It should have been obvious much sooner, but Thor could blame himself for that later. He couldn’t even fault his friend for wanting to conceal his hurts, because although it was a bad habit of Steve’s, it made complete sense here. Steve was always worried about being a liability and causing trouble for others, had been since the first day he’d met the man. But he’d gotten a little better, allowing Thor to tend him while denying help from virtually anyone else . Bruce was barely an exception, and even then it was only out of necessity.

Here, Steve was surrounded by strangers, all of whom were stronger and more durable. Sif had outwardly expressed her reluctance to his accompaniment before the trip had begun.  _ He cannot slow us down. _

_ I won’t, _ Steve had answered in confidence.

It would be unfair to call Steve out in front of everyone and loudly insist he get his mysterious injury seen to. Especially while Thor himself was just as hurt. He would have to find a way of quietly ensuring that Steve wasn’t hiding anything too serious. The best way to do that...? _Loki, you are far cleverer than me. If I could ask your advice now without alerting anyone, I would. But if I could do that, I would be smart enough to deal with my current problem, wouldn’t I?_

“Here, drink up,” Steve was pushing the steaming cup to his lips. “I know you’re not a tea kind of guy, but you said it yourself once upon a time that your mom’s tea made you feel better.”

“That I did,” Thor chuckled, taking a few sips and eying the flask in Steve’s lap. He would much prefer a mouthful of Asgardian mead, but there was no denying the benefits of his mother’s tea. Steve made him drink the whole thing, and he had no right, nor any desire to refuse. He  wouldn’t push away help either, aware that though he enjoyed Steve’s care, it might be good overall for the group dynamic to be given clear proof of the mortal’s trustworthiness. Steve seemed to need the boost, too. The light in his eyes that he got when he had the chance to help was worth every  painful throb the wound requiring it produced .

“Dinner,”  Volstagg proudly announced, bringing over some food for both of them before returning to the fire. Loki slunk away to his corner, and for once it felt like he had the Captain alone. He didn’t, not really. There was no way to examine his friend subtly enough without the others noticing , least of all Steve .

“Here,” Steve was unfolding a blanket and draping it over his shoulders. “How’re you  feelin ’?”

“Weary, but that is to be expected,” Thor took the food given to him. He’d have submitted to Steve’s worrying regardless, but part of him hoped that maybe by being open and willing about his own hurts, the Captain would follow suit.

“Glad you’re okay,” Steve smiled.

“This adventure may be beyond what either of us expected,” Thor chuckl ed , patting his friend on the shoulder and holding. “But we survived together once. Here the odds are much more to our favor.”

Steve didn’t move, eyes fixed on another world only he could see . “Sif might be  right .”

“About what?” Thor tipped his head.  _ No, Sif is wrong in every way about you. Nothing she has said so far has been true, nor merited. _

“About... getting in the way.” The Captain’s voice was sad and unsure. It broke Thor’s heart.

“What happened with the beast was a mere mistake, as I already stated,” the prince patiently replied. “One that is my responsibility, no less. In the end, we won the day. There has been little to get in the way of since.”

Steve sighed and rubbed his face, staring down at his untouched food. He looked exhausted, slumped in favor of one side but trying to hold himself upright like the good soldier he was. No response was offered.

“I would not have allowed you to come if I did not value your contributions,” Thor assured quietly, glancing at the fire.  Fandral was chatting with Sif, their backs turned, while  Volstagg and Hogan faced them and tended the fire, glancing over now and then. Thor clutched Steve’s thigh all the same,  a little higher than he normally would for a fellow warrior,  suddenly not caring much that they were not alone. Making sure Steve knew he was cared for took precedence.

“I know, I know,” Steve rubbed his forehead with his thumb and index finger. “I know, Thor, I trust you... and  _ they _ trust you... But I’m not one of them. I’m not as strong as they are. I came here to help, and I just don’t want to get in the way, or get someone hurt. This isn’t about me. ... I came here to help. ”

Thor nodded empathetically, patting Steve’s leg with a steady hand as he chose his words very carefully. “You won’t get in anyone’s way, Steven. And whatever you’re hiding doesn’t make you weak.”

“Not to you it doesn’t,” Steve hissed,  fiddling with the hem of his shirt,  “but it will to them.”

“I understand,” Thor murmured, reaching over and untangling Steve’s hands, lacing their fingers. “But pleasing them is not worth your own safety. They need not know, if that is what you wish. Tell me. I will help you as quietly as I can. My own wound does not invalidate yours, nor will it stop me from doing whatever it is you need. ” And  _ that _ was a sure fact. 

Steve squeezed Thor’s hand, shut his eyes, looked like he was about to let it all go and give up, relent to Thor’s will.  _ Tell me, please. It would be my pleasure to help. Ask anything you want of me. _ But the reply that came was not what he was hoping for. Steve just shook his head and opened his eyes, guilt deeply buried but still visible under the layers of strength he stubbornly plastered over  top .

“Thanks Thor, but I’m okay. You should get some rest.” And he pulled his hand away, picking up his plate and setting it in his lap. Thor nodded reluctantly, finishing his food alongside his friend . The whole cavern fell into a silence barely mitigated by the crackling fire. Steve handed over the flask Hogan had brought, and Thor gratefully drank, enjoying the warmth that spread through his chest and dulled the sting in his midsection.

Volstagg announced he was going to bed first, stripping out of his armor and boots, resting his weapons against the wall and laying down on his mat. The others followed, casting gazes of concern in Thor’s direction. He offered them each grateful  nods , assuring them he was alright. Loki remained standing by the cavern entrance, and Sif glared at him suspiciously as she crawled into bed , unhappy to sleep while the god of mischief remained awake .

Steve must have noticed, because he immediately spoke up, glancing at the god of mischief. “I can take first watch.”

Thor watched Sif, prepared to leap to Steve’s defense, but the wom a n just huffed and wrapped herself in her blankets. He watched Steve give Loki an almost imperceptible nod before staring back down at Thor.

“Go to sleep,” the Captain murmured, starting to rise with the intention of heading back to his own mat. Thor reached out for his wrist.

“It would bring me much comfort if you were to stay.”

Steve paused, glancing nervously around the room. Everyone else was asleep, and Loki was staring out at the darkening snowy wasteland. There was no-one to watch or judge. He swallowed, settling down again. “If you want...”

“I do,” Thor smiled, dragging the blanket off his shoulder and lying down with a wince. Steve’s hand  were immediately on him, one between his shoulder blades, the other on his stomach. Thor wouldn’t lie and claim he wasn’t hurting, nor would he pretend the touch wasn’t welcome or helpful. He murmured a thank-you and settled as Steve draped the blanket over him. “Will you get my boots off for me please?”

“Yeah, of course,” Steve smiled, shuffling down to his feet and reaching under for the buckles. He loosened them and slid off Thor’s boots one at a time, setting them aside and tucking the blankets back around his bare feet.

“Thank you...” Thor murmured, lifting the edge of the blanket and patting the space beside him. Steve stared at it, biting his lower lip with desire and leaning forward. Thor patted once more. “I would be much warmer with you at my side...”

Steve looked over at the others and finally relented, taking off his boots and sliding under the covers. He lay down pressed shoulder-to-shoulder with the demi-god, relaxing the minute they touched. Thor settled the blanket around both of them. They lay on their backs, staring at the ceiling for a long time before Steve broke first. The Captain rolled over and draped an arm across Thor’s chest, careful of his wound but desperate for touch. Thor reached up and squeezed his shoulder comfortingly, rubbing it with his thumb, vibrantly aware of how cold his friend’s hand was where it grasped his bare side.

“’Night,” Steve mumbled, eyelids drifting shut.

Thor waited a long time before beginning his assessment, wanting to be  undeniably certain his friend was asleep. He was positive now that Steve was hiding an injury from him, hiding  _ something; _ Steve normally slept shirtless, so he was either cold or hiding an injury. It seemed to be both.  _ What ails you, my friend... _ Thor turned into Steve, reaching under his shirt as carefully as he could and sliding his hand along the Captain’s side. Nothing but cold  and  gently trembling skin. He frowned, nudging Steve onto his back and grunting himself as he propped himself up. He worked his hand across Steve’s chest and stomach, searching, and finally stopping on the Captain’s other side. There was no need to see the area where he was concealed under clothing and blankets and darkness to know he’d found what he was looking for. Steve’s side was warm and swollen under his fingers, two ribs depressing a little when he pushed carefully along them, eliciting a sleepy groan from the Captain.

_Oh, Steven, you need not hide this from me... they are no doubt painful. Your stubbornness knows no bounds. _Thor pulled Steve onto his side once more, settling onto his back and resting the Captain’s chest against his side, figuring the pressure might help with the pain. Indeed, Steve settled, his breathing eased, and he squeezed Thor in his sleep with a mumbled word. _You must be __very __tired_ _if I can prod you like this without waking you._

There was nothing he could do but hold Steve close, keep him warm and safe, and get some rest for himself. It would do no good to scold his friend if he couldn’t follow his own advice.  So he closed his eyes and went to sleep, his own aches eased by the Captain’s strong heartbeat against his side.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you once again for your comments and support! They always bring a grin to my face <3

_ I’m freezing. I’m dying. I don’t want to die alone! Wait for me, Peg... _

_ Peg doesn’t remember me. She led a life without me. She left me behind!  _

_ Thor, don’t let me die alone, I’m dying... I don’t want to die. Thor please! _

Steve bolted sitting, staring around the room, panting. “Thor! Ah!” The movement shot pain through his side and he wrapped his arms around it, collapsing back to the mat and pressing his teeth together. When the throbbing settled back to a dull ache, he got his bearings. Thor was still beside him, deeply asleep on his back, eyebrows relaxed and his mouth open slightly: content. Steve laid his palm across the prince’s forehead out of habit, unable to convince himself that his friend’s wound was guaranteed to be without complications. He let out a broken sigh of relief when Thor’s skin felt normal against his own.

Steve shivered and glanced around the room, noting the pitch-black world beyond the cave, their sleeping companions, the glowing embers from the fire, and Loki, still standing watch by the entrance. The god of mischief was peering at him in the darkness, curious, amused, and unconcerned all at one. He said nothing, and Steve settled again, forgetting the god as he tucked himself tightly against Thor’s warm bulk.  _ It's alright. Loki knows. Even if he hadn’t seen, I’d assume he  _ _ figured it out _ _ . Who knows, maybe Thor even told him. _

It didn’t bother him in the slightest, which was peculiar. It was not lost on the  Captain, how absurd that he didn’t care if the god of mischief knew of his relationship with his brother. And right now, all Steve wanted was to be close to someone.

He was freezing, shaking hard despite the warm blanket wrapped around himself and Thor, despite Thor’s own body heat radiating as it always did. And his ribs hurt. The other bruises were mostly faded, but his two broken ribs  _ throbbed _ . They were healing, probably reduced to fractures, but the pain was terrible. It would be better if he could just be  _ still, _ but the shivering made it impossible. Frustrated, Steve rolled onto his injured side for relief, wrapping his arms around Thor’s chest and squeezing tightly.  _ Ridiculous, Rogers. Broken ribs are nothing. You’ve broken them too many times to count. It sucks every time, but it heals. You’ve broken more, way more at once than a measly two. Two? That’s nothing. Ha, two is pathetic. Inconsequential. What about Thor, huh? He got impaled for the love of all things good. A sword, right through his body. He shouldn’t be worrying about  _ _ you _ _ .  _ _ You  _ _ won’t let him. If  _ _ you _ _ let him, he won’t rest, and he won’t heal. He’ll hurt himself. _

_ Ha, who am I kidding. I’m just a human, a weak and breakable mortal. How dare I think something as small as a sword can do Thor any damage? He’s fine. He doesn’t need my help.  _ I _ need  _ his _ help, because I’m just a mortal man with mortal bones. _

_ He can’t worry, not about me. I’ll do whatever I have to so he doesn’t find out. I’ll heal in another day or two. He needs to worry about getting the Tesseract back, not  _ _ about me _ _ . I’m not important. I can’t get in the way. Can’t be a burden- _

Thor groaned and it sounded like a dog yawning contentedly, shifting under Steve’s arms and reaching up with his own as he slept.  The demi-god wrapped them around his friend and squeezed, practically dragging him across his chest. Steve lay nearly on top of  Thor , tightly encased in his clutches and blinking free of his thoughts. He couldn’t sleep, not now, but perhaps he could stay here and enjoy the embrace.

\--

He was too tired to ward off sleep with his usual vigor, dragged down by slumber now and then but jolting himself awake the second his nightmares resumed.  _ I can’t fall asleep. If I sleep, I’ll dream. If I dream, who knows what I’ll do, and they’ll find out. They’ll all find out how weak I am, how useless and broken. I have to be strong. _

Morning came, and Steve rolled out of bed before the others awoke, sliding on his boots and armor before there was anyone awake to see how painful it was. Loki was still standing exactly as he had, gazing out at the rising sun. He must have been awake all night. Steve came to stand in line with him, several meters away. He folded his arms over his chest, staring at a cloudless sky. It was rather beautiful and serene, he had to admit, as much as he hated the sight of endless snow.  _ I  _ _ gotta _ _ put her in the water. _

“Did you find the building?” Steve asked.

Loki took a moment to respond, as if he was surprised someone was discussing the mission with him. That or he still had distain for the Captain and could hardly bear to grant him an answer . “We did not. I suspect it lies on the other side of these mountains. I do not know where on the map we emerged.”

_No ‘you are here’ __sign__ I guess._ Steve nodded quietly, folding his arms over his chest and staring out at the expanse of white. It should have felt peaceful. Before the Valkyrie, he’s loved snow. It dampened all sound and helped him drift away from the world. Before the serum, winter had loomed over his weak body and threatened to take his life at every turn, but after? After, he’d enjoyed every moment he could. Everything was quieter when it snowed, which came as a relief to his enhanced hearing. Now, he couldn’t look out at the winter wonderland before him without seeing an airplane window faming it. A chill passed up his spine and he couldn’t help but shiver despite his warm armor.

“How is Thor?” Loki asked suddenly, turning his head to look at the Captain. His expression was uncaring, but too blatantly so that Steve could tell it was faked. He resisted the urge to smile and simply nodded.

“He’s alright. Took a hit but he’s sleeping it off.”

“We should leave as soon as possible,” Loki continued, cold and clinical.

Steve nodded in silence. Odin’s forces w ere looking for them.

It occurred to him too late that he’d never thanked Loki for his help back on  Sakaar .  He started  tumbling words over in his head, trying to think of the best way to approach the topic, when he heard Thor’s grunts and yawns from his bed. They both spun around, Loki’s mask cracked open completely for the first time as he surveyed his brother with searching eyes and a worried mouth. That mask quickly sealed shut, so fast Steve almost missed the revelation. He th e information aside , hurrying over to Thor as his friend rubbed his face, golden hair a mess and eyes bleary with sleep.

Thor yawned and stretched, then winced and lowered his arms. Steve knelt beside him and touched his shoulder. “Hey. How you feelin’?”

“Hungry,” Thor cheerfully rubbed his eyes to clear them.

_ He’s a demi-god, for Heaven’s sake,  _ but Steve still had to play nursemaid and  stop Thor  from sitting , folding down the blankets. Thor sprawled out and stretched with a satisfied groan as the others roused and wandered over to check on him. The bandages were patchy with blood, but none of it was fresh. The wound was dry. Steve sighed and rubbed his face with both hands, crossing his legs.  _ Can’t help but worry, Thor... _

The god would understand, he knew that.

All of Thor ’s impressive bulk rippled as he sat up with an exhale, wincing and looking down at his waist. Recognition dawned on his features. “Ah, I had forgotten.”

Steve chuckled and rested his cheek on his hand, enamored. “That’s probably a good sign, then.”

“Breakfast,” Volstagg announced, tossing a chunk of bread and an apple underhand at the prince. Thor reached up and caught them, as did Steve when his own ration was dealt out. Loki was lobbed his share too, and the god nearly didn’t catch it. Everyone ate, then slowly started to pack and gear up.

Thor pushed his thumb under his bandage and looked under it, making a face. “It’s stuck to me.”

Steve whirled dropped the blanket he was folding and pushed Thor’s hand out of the way. “Here, let me look at it.” Thor watched him curiously as he unwrapped the bandage and got to the last couple of layers, carefully separating fabric and skin glued together with dried blood. Despite the copious amounts of the substance, the wound itself was sealed shut, front and back. For a human, it would have taken more a few days of healing to improve that much.

“What a good night’s sleep and good company can do,” Thor patted Steve’s shoulder cheerfully, flashing a charming smile. They made eye contact for a moment, and Steve froze solid, caught somewhere between incredibly turned on and slightly afraid. All he could do was  nod shakily.

_ He knows. Shit, he knows. _

It hadn’t been a good night for Steve, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was Thor’s well-being, which hardly seemed to need any worrying for, but would get it all the same. Steve handed over his friend’s shirt and boots, standing up and hurrying over to pack up his own things.

Volstagg had beaten him to it, was just cinching up Petal’s saddle, too, the horse tacked and ready to go. Steve gave the Asgardian warrior a grateful nod and reached for his armor. There was no way he’d have managed saddling a horse without giving away that his ribs were broken.  _ They aren’t anymore. They aren’t in pieces, anyway. I can fight if I have to. Broken ribs are papercuts to Captain America. _ Steve resolutely strapped his sword and shield to his back, and turned to check on Thor.

Loki was thrusting the reins at his  brother  and sweeping away to mount his own horse, trotting into the snow to wait. Thor climbed into the saddle with a wince, but otherwise was unhindered. Steve smiled and set his foot in the stirrup, clutching the saddle and preparing to mount as well. His leg was mid-swing when another earthquake rattled the cave. Petal stumbled, and Steve lost his grip, falling with a thud to the stone, crushing his injured side. Luckily, the shaking earth concealed his gasp.

Sif trotted by and stared down at him with disapproval, catching up with the others. Steve grit his teeth and scrambled to his feet, lifting into the saddle and urging his horse to catch up too .

\--

Loki found a mountain path, and the group made haste while the sky was clear. Steve could see a storm approaching in the distance when he glanced behind him. Whatever time they  had, they would have to use it wisely. Once the blizzard hit, navigating this narrow mountain trail would become precarious.

The air was tense and quiet, as it had been for most of the trip. Steve kept his mouth shut; if this were the Avengers, he’d have attempted small talk, or to offer up direction for their path. Here, he had no place of leadership. Thor was their leader, and Loki was the best at navigating this terrain. The shield on Steve’s back didn’t mean anything.  _ Captain America  _ didn’t mean anything. It was a  really  good thing he hadn’t worn his uniform.

Frigga was right, this armor was warm. It was doing nothing for the chill coming from inside him, though. Despite the warm layers under weightless metal plating, he could feel a shiver clutching his spine. If this kept on, there would be no way to hide it from the group. Steve grit his teeth against memories of the Valkyrie, doing his best to associate the snow and cold and white with something else, or forget it altogether.

_ Bit late for that now _ _ . _

He should have talked to Tony, Bruce, Natasha, Clint... Thor. He should have told Thor the minute they set foot on this planet. _Too late. Come on Rogers, you can tough through it. The others don’t have to know._ Steve set his jaw and thought firmly of something – _anything_ – but the crash. It wasn’t so easy, but luck favored him and provided a distraction.

“The path splits.” Loki announced atop his stalled horse,  without looking back. He stared out at the two paths, one descending, while the other carried up  into low-hanging cloud s .

Thor trotted to his side and peered at both trails, turning to his brother. “Do they both lead to the other side of the mountains?”

“I don’t know why you expect I would know that,” Loki muttered. “I would assume the lower path would be best .”

Steve peered down the mountain, searching with his enhanced eyesight. Beside him, Sif slid from her horse and walked to the crossroads to inspect the options for herself.

“Perhaps a break is in order,”  Volstagg offered, dismounting so he could hand out mead and dried meat. Steve eased out of Petal’s saddle with a concealed wince, turning to accept what was offered to him by the friendly Asgardian.

A mouthful of liquor definitely warmed him up a little. Steve carefully sipped at it, reminding himself that this wasn’t Earth drink. Thor’s hand on his shoulder made him jump.

“You must be deep in thought if I can sneak up on you,” Thor chuckled. “Come, my friend, we are trying to decide which path would be better to take.” And the prince guided him to the crossroads.

“You sure...?” Steve mumbled, following along with mild surprise. Hogan stepped aside to let them by, and Sif glared after their ankles.

“Of course! We cannot choose both paths,” Thor laughed and patted Steve’s shoulder heartily.

Steve shook his head. “N-no, no, Thor I meant are you sure... are you sure you want my advice?”

“Well of course, Captain,” Thor tipped his head, confused. The prince grabbed him by the shoulders  from behind  and marched him a few more steps forward. “What do you see? Your eyes can see farther than mine.”

“Really?” Steve peered over his shoulder, genuinely surprised.

“Indeed, Captain. You spotted an enemy in our most recent battle from very far away. He was tucked in the bushes and I could not make him out.” Thor cheerfully explained. “And your input is most appreciated.”

Steve blinked and focused on the pathways again. There wasn’t much to see.

“Lower path.” Sif came to stand at Thor’s side, arms folded. “It descends and will take us to the bottom faster.” 

“The lower path does seem like the obvious solution,” Thor mused.

“Then we are wasting time by waiting,” Sif turned on her heel and returned to her horse. “With each second we wait here, the storm  and Odin’s forces gain .” The others murmured their agreement, and even Loki was nodding.

But Thor stood at Steve’s back, hand on his shoulders, clasping him firmly in silence. He was waiting, patient and calm as always, a pillar to anchor to. Steve stared into the white, looking for any clues that would paint a better picture of the terrain ahead. It was almost impossible. The Captain bit his lip. Sif was probably right, so why was Thor waiting?

_ He wants your confirmation. _ The thought came from a place of confidence forgotten since he’d joined this little group. Steve glowed a little, scolding himself for being so hesitant. He’d never been like this...  _ Too dumb to run from a fight. This is a fight if I ever saw one.  _ The Captain set his jaw and knelt in the snow, pushing some into a tight ball the size of his fist. Then he stood and hurled it at the lower path as hard as he could. The snowball was barely visible when it landed, but Steve could just make out its shadow as it rolled back toward them.

“Lower path heads back up,” Steve concluded, turning to Thor. “Looks steeper than the other one, and the fact that it rolled means it s smooth, probably covered in ice. It’s snowing up in those cloud, so we should have something to grip on. It’s probably more sheltered from the wind, so not  as cold, and less chance of ice. I think we should go up.”

“They’re both about the same,” Sif argued from her horse. “Just take the lower path. We can’t see the upper one, so who knows what awaits us beyond the cloud.”

_ I don’t  _ _ wanna _ _ put you in this position, Thor. _ Steve turned around to face the group. It was a simple decision; did it need to come to this? Loki was already guiding his horse toward the upper path, Sif was pointed toward the lower one, and the warriors three were hanging back hesitantly. Thor looked Steve in the eyes.

“Are you certain?” he asked.

“Yes.” Steve replied firmly.

“Then we take the upper path,” Thor replied calmly.

\--

Above the clouds, the path became a little wider, and soon started to dip down and through a valley in the rocks. Just as Steve had predicted, the ground was covered in fluffy snow, but there was barely any ice. The group continued along in the shadows of the canyon, protected from the high-altitude winds, but ever silent. The end of their shelter was nearing, soon to open up into  exposed mountainside.

Another earthquake shuddered the ground, and the horses halted in alarm. Thor quickly spurred his forward. Was it just his imagination, or were those tremors becoming more frequent?

“Everyone  keep moving,” Thor ordered, staring up at the cliffs on either side. A small rock bounced all the way down from the top and clattered to the ground a few feet in front of the group, followed by a small shower of snow. Everyone wordlessly spurred their horses on and they cantered from the canyon into the open.

Winds immediately buffeted them, and the pathway narrowed, dipping back below the clouds. Snow swirled around them. Thor looked back at the group to make sure everyone was there; Sif padded along at the rear in mild annoyance, the warriors three gazed around the landscape with sensible ratios of curiosity and caution, Loki trotted along beside him with an unreadable expression, and Steve followed just behind the brothers in distracted silence.

The Captain was staring off into space again. Thor knew that look. It was a classic Steve, a sign that he was lost in unpleasant thought. He wasn’t sitting as straight as usual, but then again, neither was Thor. For lack of things to say, the prince faced the pathway again and led the group down through the clouds. Far below, he could see the base of the mountains, and a little beyond that a small forest. A few days’ travel away was the facility, pale through the atmosphere between it and them, its size and shape impossible to make out. But it was there. Thor smiled. The sooner they finished their mission, the sooner he could go home with Steve and enjoy some privacy.

With the bottom in sight, the air felt less tense.  Volstagg and  Fandral started a conversation about different types of pastry about halfway down, as the sun began to set. Thor looked back at a darkening sky, frowning at the storm clouds gaining on them. They would not make the trees by the time it was upon them, but perhaps they could reach the bottom of the mountains. The others noticed too, and made no complaints as Thor set a faster pace. 

The sky was alight with pinks and oranges as the sun slumped farther below the horizon, untouched snow twinkling all around them. Thor smiled, and the ground shook.

Another earthquake, stronger than the last. A crack resonated far in the distance, so thunderous that everyone looked to Thor. The prince shook his head and stared up at the peaks behind them. The whole mountain was quaking, the sound of crumbling rock audible to all seven of them.

“Avalanche.” Steve murmured, and his eyes were glazed with barely-contained panic.

“Run.” Thor agreed, and then all took off down the path.

Asgardian horses were sure-footed and strong, navigating the narrowing trail like mountain goats. But they were not going to be fast enough. Steve was right: an avalanche was coming. Sheets of snow were coming loose far above them, sliding down below the clouds and approaching at speeds impossible to match. If the group kept going at this pace, Thor was certain they could reach flat ground in time. If not, he would just have to hold back the snow with Mjolnir.

Steve yelped beside him, the ground under his horse starting to slide away. Everyone was in the same boat, the horses struggling to regain their footing. Thor turned his to face the others, spinning his hammer in slow circles as his friends passed him. He hopped to the ground, sinking thigh-deep in snow, spinning his hammer as fast possible and holding it in front of him. Snow sprayed to either side as it tumbled down the incline toward the group. There was too much, and his feet were sliding back on icy ground beneath knee-high layers of snow.

“Run.” Thor turned to see Loki at his side, his brother’s skin consumed with cool blue. He waved his hand and a wall of ice swept up from the ground, catching the approaching avalanche. It held, cracking and straining against the monumental weight.

Thor turned and obeyed, spinning his hammer and flinging himself into the air.

Fandral’s horse collapsed,  thick sheets of snow buckling its legs and taking its rider with it. Thor dropped beside him and lifted his friend up before he could be swallowed. Volstagg fell a second later, Loki’s barrier not enough to stop snow  on either either side from sliding around and continuing its course. It was coming in thicker waves, preceding the rumbling avalanche that would bury them all if it reached them. The mountain shook, and the rest of the horses lost their footing.

He couldn’t save them all. Thor grabbed  Fandral by the collar and hurled him as far as he could, scooping up  Volstagg next and doing the same. Hogan was the next closest, tangled up in his horse’ panicking legs. Thor blasted away as much snow as he could with his hammer and offered his hand, flying them both into the air and hurling him as well. Sif was next, still in the saddle as her horse slid forward on floundering hooves. Thor swooped past and plucked her from the saddle. She yelped in surprise, but the sound was stolen by the wind as Thor tossed her after his friends.

Now there was only Steve. Where was Steve? Loki was still in place, holding his own against the avalanche, but only barely. Steve had disappeared.

“Get out of here!” Thor landed beside his brother. “Go! I’ll look for Steve! Make sure the others get to safety!”

Loki didn’t say a word, a gush of cold air sweeping off him and toward his barrier. The ice grew thicker, and his brother turned with a small nod. Thor grabbed Loki’s arm and flew them both into the sky. With as much grace as he was able, the prince threw his brother after his friends and dropped back into the avalanche.

\--

When Thor opened his eyes, everything was dark, and his body too heavy to move, at least not right away. His side ached, the muscles sore and reluctant.

_ Up. Get up. _ Thor shifted his arm and felt his fingers nudge the familiar smooth metal of Mjolnir. He found the handle and squeezed, immediately feeling stronger. Within a few seconds, he felt completely aware and in control. Summoning all his strength, he pushed against the snow piled on his back and burst his head above the surface with a gasp.

The mountain was behind them, set against a black sky. The sun had set and the storm was nearly upon them, blocking out the stars. Thor climbed out of chest-deep snow, wincing and wrapping one arm around his waist. The snow was packed down enough to walk on, so he straightened as much as he was able and clutched Mjolnir tightly, turning a slow circle to survey the area. He spotted Loki immediately and stumbled to his brother in desperate relief.

Loki pulled himself out of the snow with easy gracefulness, brushing himself off and looking over. Relief crossed his features too, if only for a moment. “Still alive, I see.”

“Where are the others? Are they nearby?” Thor demanded.  _ Please let them be alright... _

“Everyone was buried,” Loki replied. His eyes widened and he pushed Thor aside, jogging a few paces. Thor turned and watched his brother haul  Volstagg’s horse to the surface. The beast collapsed on shaking legs to rest, panting. The other horses had to be nearby. But if he’d hurled his friends away, then why was Loki still here with him and the horses...?

“Loki...”

“The avalanche carried you down to us,” Loki explained, glancing over his shoulder. “But this is the shallowest part.” 

Thor turned and noticed huge dark shapes a few feet closer to the mountain – mounds of snow, deep enough to seriously hinder even a god from escaping.

A gasp erupted a few feet away, and Sif’s arm pushed into view. Thor was at her side in a second, dropping Mjolnir so he could lift her to safety.

“Are you hurt?” Thor murmured, and she shook her head, coughing and sucking as much air as her lungs could get hold of.

Fandral was close by, clumsily batting at Loki as the god plucked him from the snow and set him roughly down. Hogan dug his way out,  Volstagg close behind, and Thor came to help. Loki approached with two more horses in tow and left them to rest with the other. A little more searching yielded the other four horses, and they all stared at Petal’s empty saddle as the beast collapsed with his companions. Even Sif appeared alarmed.

“Steve...” Thor murmured. He had to be close by. Thor hadn’t managed to throw him to safety, which meant he could be near where Petal had been rescued, or had been swept away somewhere else. A harsh wind reminded all of them as the urgency of their situation. Thor called Mjolnir to his hand and followed Loki to the spot he’d found Petal, staring into the hole. There was nothing.

“Spread out,”  Volstagg gave the order, and everyone obeyed, forcing bruised bodies to move as fast as possible. Even Loki joined in, inspecting the ground with pensive eyebrows.

In the darkness and worsening storm, it was hard to see. Thor shielded his eyes against battering winds and whirling snowflakes, pushing through and shouting as loudly as he could.  _ Come on, Steve. Where are you? _ They could search for hours and never find him. They could search and miss wherever he was buried. What if he was dying? What if they were too late-?

Mjolnir quivered in his hand, pulling his arm to the right and down. Thor whipped his head around and his heart swelled.  _ Yes, Steve! _ The hammer was warm in his grip, responding to another pull.

_ Ssss’cold. _

_ I’m  _ _ coming, _ _ Steve. _

_Gotta_ _put’er__ in the water...._

_ Steven. Listen to me- _

_ Don’t let me die alone. I don’t want to die. Thor, please. _

Fear bled into the wave of thoughts rushing through their connection. Thor quickened his pace, letting Mjolnir’s tug guide him until it was pointing straight down. He set down the hammer and sank to his knees, digging with bare hands. The demi-god moved huge scoops of snow out of the way until he saw a glint of metal and searching fingers.

“Steve!” Thor carefully uncovered Steve’s gloved hand, wrapping it in both of his and pulling. The shield came into view first, strapped onto Steve’s arm and held over his head. The rest of him emerged, snow clinging to his hair and eyelashes, eyes wide and fearful but aware. The shield slipped from his arm and his legs went weak, pitching his whole body forward. Thor wrapped him in a tight hug, sinking to his knees and clutching Steve very close to his chest, listening to his shaking gasps.

Steve was shaking badly in his grip, hugging back. The prince clutched the back of his head and kissed his hair without thinking or worrying – there was no-one close enough to see, and even they were he couldn’t have found it in himself to care. Something that sounded too much like a sob rattled Steve’s body.

“Hey, hey it’s alright,” Thor murmured. “It’s alright, Steve. I’m so sorry. You should not have to endure this. I’m sorry, Steven. Shh, I have you.”

It took a couple minutes of soft words before Steve finally settled, weakly clutched in Thor’s grip. His breathing steadied, though it was nowhere near as smooth as it should be. He coughed into Thor’s shoulder, voice quiet and raspy. “If everyone okay?”

“Yes, we’re all okay,” Thor replied with a small smile. “Are you hurt?”

Steve shifted and groaned, coughing again. When Thor pulled back, his friend’s face was twisted into a wince.

“Steven, where are you hurt?” Thor cupped the Captain’s frigid cheeks and  _ pleaded  _ for the truth.

“ S’fine , just bruised,” Steve muttered, coughing again. The prince deflated.

“Can you stand? We need to find shelter,” Thor decided it wasn’t worth pressing his friend at this moment. Steve nodded and picked up his shield, snapping it to his back. Together, they rose to their feet.

“Where is everyone?” Steve croaked and looked around, huddled close to Thor.

“Nearby,” Thor assured, searching through the storm for any signs of his friends. “I found him!” he yelled, pausing to wait. No-one called back, or approached. Steve shuddered beside  him, his eyes vacant. Thor clenched his jaw and kept his arm tightly wrapped around Steve’s shoulder, opening his other hand for Mjolnir. The hammer shot into his palm, and Thor thrust it to the skies. Thunder shook the ground, and lightning split the storm, coursing down his arm. A few moments later, Loki appeared, shortly followed by the others, horses in tow.

“Let’s find some shelter,” Loki murmured and mounted his horse, taking the lead.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought myself distinctly this morning, that today the plot would be moves significantly forward... Instead, THIS happened. So... enjoy >:) there is some juicy fighting next chapter, hehe, promise.
> 
> As always, thank you for your comments! I enjoy this for myself, but it's 10x more fun to know other people are enjoying it too! Your support means all the Nine Realms to me <3

Despite the storm, they’d managed to make the small forest and find some semblance of shelter there. With a little luck, they found a small clearing and settled down to rest for what remained of the night. Steve was still deeply shaken, arms wrapped tightly around his body and his eyes distant. A fire burned in the middle of the group, Thor held him close, and Volstagg came around with a couple of blankets, but his shivering was relentless.

Everyone was disturbed by what had happened, to varying degrees. Even Loki was silent and brooding, sitting with crossed legs and folded arms, watching the fire intently. No-one seemed bothered that he was just as close as everyone else. Whatever misgivings each member had for the god of  mischief, they were all forgotten in favor of what had just transpired. 

Volstagg drew dinner from the fire and passed it around, stopping when he got to Thor and Steve. The warrior knelt and took the top off a flask of liquor, pressing the container into Steve’s hand. “Drink,” he ordered quietly. “It will warm you up and ease your nerves.”

“Th-thanks,” Steve croaked and accepted it, taking small sips.  Volstagg patted his shoulder and let him work on it.

“How is your wound?” the warrior glanced at Thor’s injured side.

“Well enough,” Thor replied with a reassuring smile, squeezing Steve’s shoulders. “Sore, but healing as it should. Thank you.”

Volstagg nodded and stood up, sitting down to eat his own meal. Thor watched Steve struggle through his drink, eyebrows upturned. There was no way anyone could have predicted those events, and no way to prepare for them. They’d done everything they could. Trying to hurl his friends to safety hadn’t made any difference in the end; they’d all been buried.  _ We’re all alive, that is what matters. _

A violent chill ripped through Steve’s body, and he nearly dropped his flask. The Captain grit his teeth and grunted in frustration, shifting against Thor and reaching for the food  Volstagg had given him. He was making his determined face, trying to seal a mask in place as Thor had seen him do aplenty. No-one was paying them much attention, solemn and quiet as they worked on their own food and kept to themselves.  _ There is nothing to worry about, Steve... _ Not even Sif was looking their way, too occupied with her bread to be glaring at her nemesis.

Thor reached up and wrapped his hand around the back of Steve’s neck, surprised to find that the skin was warm regardless of how badly his friend was shivering. They ate in silence, and all Thor could do was hold his friend against his ribs. At least Steve  finished his food, though it seemed to be more of a mechanic process to keep his hands busy than out of actual hunger. With both plates empty, Thor moved them aside and took off his armor.

“You okay?” Steve’s quiet voice surprised him. Thor nudged his armor out of the way and reached for the buckles on Steve’s, smiling faintly.

“I am well,” he assured. “But if it would make you feel better, I would appreciate your care of my injury.” _Lead by example._

Steve smiled, his jaw still quivering. Thor got the armor off and reached down for their boots, sliding off his own first before starting on Steve’s. His friend was giving no protest, wrapping his arms around his chest and trying to make himself as small as possible. Thor tucked the blanket back around both of them and opened his shirt. The sight of his bare torso welcomed a bit more awareness into Steve’s eyes, and the Captain reaching out for the healing wound. His fingers were trembling, but they carefully padded around the site.

“Looks good,” Steve smiled quietly. “Should  still  get some rest.”

“You as well,” Thor wrapped his arms around his friend and brought him down with him before the man could protest. Steve didn’t fight back, allowing himself to be moved onto his side so Thor could wrap his bulk around him. The shaking eased, and the Captain’s breathing settled into a deeper rhythm. As the prince fell asleep, he couldn’t help but feel as though they should have talked, no matter how it seemed that Steve was unable.

Thor squeezed Steve tighter, hoping that his friend would manage some sleep.

\--

Steve didn’t sleep a minute. He lay quivering against Thor’s chest, curling himself up as small as possible as if he could hide from his problems between the grooves of the prince’s firm chest. All the hard ridges of Thor’s torso pushed into his back as the Asgardian breathed deeply. It was a comforting feeling, one that reminded him he was not the biggest, strongest thing in the world, and that no matter how big and strong he happened to be, he would still be treated with gentleness.

Even asleep, Thor was gentle. Steve smiled weakly, wishing that now of all times the touch would be enough to keep the nightmares at bay. 

He had half a mind to wake his friend up, and he lay there thinking about it on and off for hours. Every time he decided that maybe he should roll over and ask for help, he became acutely aware of Thor’s deep breaths and decided against it. The night dragged on for a painfully long time, and Steve didn’t find it as hard as he’d assume to keep his eyes open. The soldier was exhausted, but a deeply-engrained sense of duty and stubborn pride made sure he didn’t so much as drift. It would get harder as the trip went on, Steve knew that, but he could do it. He wouldn’t give in to the nightmares until this whole thing was over, and he could lock himself in his room at the tower where no-one would have to be disturbed.

“’ teve ....” Thor mumbled into his back, squeezing tightly. Steve jumped, falling still and silent. “’ teve , where’r’you...”

And Steve started shaking again, because  _ Thor _ was shaking, his wide arms trembling as he hugged Steve and grasped his body with desperate hands. He was  _ dreaming... _ no, it was certainly a nightmare.

“’teve m’sorry... dnt’go... ll’help...ws’too slow...”

It sounded familiar. There was fear there. Fear and guilt. Steve felt tears prick his eyes, but couldn’t wipe them away as they swelled up and blinded him.  _ What am I doing... what are you doing, Rogers!  _ His best friend was dreaming something terrible, and what was he doing? Thor was dreaming about  _ him _ ... A big hand groped his chest, searching for purchase, and Steve couldn’t hesitate anymore. He slid his wrists into Thor’s grip, and the demi-god went still, holding tightly yet not painfully so.

“Steve...  s’okay , ‘ ll’never leave... hang on to me...” Thor was still speaking to his dream, but the words were still for him. Steve shut his eyes as Thor settled, that monstrous grip still holding on with tempered strength, and cried silently.  _ What the hell am I doing... _

\--

There wasn’t much night to sit through, but it was enough time for Steve to come down from the evening’s events. He got up first, wriggling free of Thor’s grip and going to get dressed before the others awoke.

It was a new day, the brutal storm had reduced to gentle snowing, and warm sun filtered through small gaps in the foliage above. A chill still clung to his bones, but it wasn’t any worse than before the avalanche had hit. Steve tightened the straps on his back and snapped his shield in place, slowly packing up a few things while he waited for the others to wake up. Volstagg wasn’t far behind, eying the Captain with a concerned stare before going about making breakfast as usual.

“There will be no shelter between here and the building,” Thor wisely explained as the group clustered together for food and a plan. “I suggest we split up. One group should stay here and guard our supplies while the other ventures to gather information on this place we must infiltrate.”

“I will go and investigate this facility,” Sif stood up.

Thor nodded. “I and Loki will join you.”

“I’ll come too,” Steve jumped in, desperate not to be left behind. He had to keep moving. It was more than likely that he was desperate to stay close to Thor, too.

Sif huffed and turned around to pick up her sword and strap it to her waist with aggressive movements, muttering something under her breath. Steve ignored her.

“We will stay behind and protect the camp, then,”  Volstagg nodded cheerfully.

“It is settled. Let’s make the most of the daylight and good weather,” Thor walked to his horse. “We will return in several days’ time.”

“Travel safe,”  Volstagg replied, and the other warriors stood at his side to watch their companions mount their horses and ride off between the trees.

\--

A good night’s sleep had the horses recovered from yesterday’s ordeal. Steve was amazed at how well they galloped through such deep snow. The flex of muscles beneath him and Petal’s huffs were comforting. The animal was sympathetic, calm and well-behaved. Steve wondered if maybe he should get a pet when he returned to Earth. It had been suggested to him soon after waking up in the 21 st century, and several times following. Maybe if he’d taken even a fraction of the advice that had been given to him, he wouldn’t be dealing with such severe nightmares and anxiety right now. PTSD, it was called now. If he’d gone to therapist, would he have been such a hinderance when the avalanche had hit? Would he have completely frozen up and collapsed right off his horse as he had? Would he have lost himself to his thoughts and been unable to try and dig his way out on his own? Would he have been so badly shaken that he needed Thor’s help to put one foot in front of the other?

_ I’ll deal with this when I get back. I can stuff it down till then, when there isn’t anyone around to see me. _ For now, Petal’s rippling shoulders and bobbing head were enough to keep him grounded in reality.

They ran until the horses started to flag, and slowed to a steady trot. The facility seemed no closer. Sif had taken the rear, and Loki took the lead as Thor dropped back to walk alongside Steve.

“Here,” the prince offered Steve a familiar flask of liquor and some fruit. “How do you fare?” His voice was soft and concerned.

“I’m good,” Steve smiled and took the offering, sipping the alcohol gratefully. It really was fantastic at dispelling some of the cold gripping his core. “If I didn’t know better I’d think you’re all trying to get me drunk.”

“Nonsense,” Thor chuckled. “An adventure is more enjoyable with  good drink.”

“And good company,” Steve smiled bashfully. Aside from Sif, the others had been really good to him. “It helps, thank you.”

“Aha, the first honest admission,” Thor beamed proudly.

Steve bit his lip in guilt, his hand unconsciously reaching up to rub his healing ribs.

“It’s alright, I understand,” Thor began sympathetic, before his tone growing stern. “To a point. I hope you will speak up if the burden becomes too great.”

Steve nodded mutely and handed back the flask. Maybe Thor saw through the lie, but it didn’t matter. This wasn’t about Steve, it was about Thor, and helping his friend complete this mission. He’d remind himself as many times as necessary.

The day was uneventful, apart from two earthquakes only ten hours apart. No-one was feeling particularly conversational, but Thor walked with each of them and tried to start some anyway. He was unrelenting, reminding Loki of pranks played on him when they were children, recounting Sif’s favorite battles with enthusiasm, and asking Steve questions about the most recent films Clint had chosen for their movie nights. Steve couldn’t see Loki’s face, but heard a couple of corralled chuckles of pride. Sif calmly corrected details of Thor’s wild tales, amusement in her voice. And Steve offered what he could manage when Thor questioned him about the tensions between nations depicted in a James Bond movie.

The horses would recover, catch their breaths, and the group would pick up the pace again, forcing a silence that Steve found reassuring. Even as the pressures of engaging in  conversation were replaced with Petal’s lulling hoofbeats, Steve scolded himself; Thor deserved better.  _ I don’t know why he bothers with me. I’ve hardly given him anything. Nothing compared to what he’s given me. Or, what he’s tried to give, at least. _ No matter how much Steve refused to answer Thor’s questions honestly, the demi-god hadn’t given up.  _ Idiot. _ The smile that found its way to his lips was sad and apologetic, and there was no-one to see it.

The building was closer now. As night fell and the group slowed to make shelter, Steve took a long look at their destination. Another day’s ride at a similar pace and they’d reach it. Unfortunately, there was no cover, so no way to make camp and observe the structure from a safe hiding place. All they had was snow.

Thor spun his hammer and blasted huge volumes of snow out of the way to form a small pit. The others pitched in to help, digging all the way to the ground. To Steve’s surprise, there was grass and rock-hard soil at the bottom. Cold seeped through his gloves as he helped the group build a snow shelter.

“What are you thinking about?” Thor nudged his shoulder, patting the wall of their shelter with his bare hands. His fingers were pink.

Steve realized he’d been smiling softly to himself. “ Thinkin ’ about Bucky,” he admitted. “We used to play out in the snow sometimes, when it was warm enough outside and I wore enough layers. I couldn’t stay out very long, but we made the best of it. Do you get much snow on  Asgard ?”  _ If we talk much more about this, one thing will lead to another, and before I know  _ _ it _ _ I’ll have told you about how snow isn’t fun anymore. _

“No,” Thor shook his head, building up the wall of the shelter. “But I have ventured many times within the nine realms and enjoyed snow elsewhere. Jotunheim is the snowiest, but not the best place for play. I admit some of your Earth customs perplexed me when I first enjoyed a winter there. The making of snow-people, for one. Clint has told me we must go ‘sledding’ at the next snowfall.”

Steve smiled and nodded. “Yeah, you’d like it.”

“Have you ever gone?” Thor asked. “I am curious as to what the experience is like.”

Steve shook his head. “Maybe once or twice, when Bucky took me, but I was too fragile.”

Thor nodded understandingly. “Perhaps we should go when we return, then.”

“Winter isn’t for another few months,” Steve smiled. “But... sure. Maybe we can get the whole team out there.”

“That would be most enjoyable,” Thor agreed enthusiastically, and Steve found himself actually looking forward to it. He hadn’t ever properly played in the snow. Maybe if he was with his friends, it would be alright. There was plenty of time between then and now to get his shit together. Somehow, he’d find a way to suppress the plane crash.

The snow fort was very warm. They’d built one large enough for all four of them, plus the horses, to fit snugly inside. The walls rose just above Thor’s head and leaned in a little, protecting them from cold winds. Sif curled up with her horse, as did Loki, while Steve allowed Thor to hold him close; the shelter was small, and it was for warmth. Steve managed less than an hour of sleep, and spent the rest of the night listening closely to Thor’s breathing.

The demi-god dreamed again, mumbling to the Steve in his head. He asked for forgiveness, pleaded for his friend to hang on, spilled promises that were each heartfelt and genuine. Guilt weighed his limbs to the point that he couldn’t move, helpless in Thor’s protective hug and unable to ignore a word his friend uttered. When fear overcame Thor’s strangled tone, Steve couldn’t hold his tears in anymore. As he cried quietly to himself, something wet dripped onto his neck.

Thor was crying too, caught somewhere between a guilt-ridden promise that he wouldn’t let Steve suffer alone, and a plea for Steve to hang on, to stay alive.  _ I’m hurting him. He just wants to help. I’m making him worry, and I have been since the battle of New York. _ For all the times Thor had helped Steve come back from a nightmare, what could Steve do now that Thor was trapped in one? Thor was spooning him as usual, had settled that way with the intention to be comforting. Steve let Thor keep hold of one arm and reached the other around, fumbling for the prince’s head. He found soft blonde locks, pushing his fingers through them and rubbing the side of Thor’s head. It was a bit hard to reach, but he found that strong jaw layered with a smooth beard and rubbed it with his knuckles.

“I’m so sorry...” Steve swallowed. “We’ll talk when this is over, I promise.” How could he not offer at least that, when his friend was sobbing into his neck as he dreamed about not being able to help with what Steve had been hiding?  Obviously he hadn’t been hiding it that well.

Thor’s breathing evened out with each stroke of his cheek. Steve managed to free his other arm and turn to face the demi-god, grasping his damp face and rubbing it with his thumbs. It was a rare sight, Thor’s pink and swollen features glistening in what little light there was. His eyelashes were dark and tacky, so they struggled to peel apart and allow misty blue eyes to stare through.

“Steve?” Thor murmured, clutching his friend’s bicep in a shaking hand.

“Right here,” Steve murmured, managing a smile. He opened his mouth to repeat his promise, but the words hitched in his throat. Thor swallowed shakily and shut his eyes, and Steve pressed their foreheads together. Perhaps if he thought hard enough, his promise would bleed through the connection and he wouldn’t have to choke it out.

Thor didn’t say anything more. He just wrapped his arms around Steve’s back and pressed their chests together. Steve tucked his head under the demi-god's chin and enjoyed the warmth. The best he could do was let Thor protect him, keep him warm. Maybe later, he could be honest, too.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot complicates!

“Is this a good height?” Thor asked, spinning Mjolnir and doing his best to stay level. “Much closer and we may be spotted.”

“You’re right, they could have scanners,” Steve agreed, hanging on tightly to Thor as they scanned the building from the skies. “This is perfect. I can see the whole perimeter.”

“Then I will retreat to base,” Thor nodded, and Steve adjusted his grip.

It had been decided that it was better for Thor to fly Steve the rest of the distance to the facility and scan it from above. Loki had been dropped a little closer, and using his magic to cloak himself had done a perimeter check of his own. Sif had stayed back to guard their small camp with the horses.

She greeted them as they returned, starting a fire and leaning toward Thor for information on their discoveries, but the prince simply gestured to Loki to start.

“There is only one door that I can see,” the god explained calmly, smoothing out his clothes from a windy flight under his brother’s arm. “If whoever built it has any sense, there must be at least one other door somewhere, perhaps camouflaged in the walls, or connect by tunnel somewhere farther away. By the height of the walls and this planet’s climate, I would suspect there is an extensive underground section. That is likely where any residen ts spend their time.

“Do you think those men who attacked us live there?” Thor asked.

“It is possible,” Loki agreed, though his expression said  otherwise. “This building is very square and does not fit with the landscape, nor the outfits those people who attacked us wore. A different sort of craftsmanship was used to fabricate their weapons than to construct such a building.”

Steve nodded in agreement. “I saw someone slip out the main door. He looked human enough, but he was wearing a black jumpsuit with three-quarter sleeves. Not exactly dressed for the weather.”

“Then we must assume these beings are a complete mystery,” Thor chimed in. “Their strength and motives are unknown, which makes them the most dangerous kind of enemy.”

“We need to get in there somehow,” Steve rubbed his jaw. “Maybe...”

Another earthquake cut him off, shaking the ground so badly that all four of them braced themselves despite being seated. This one was much more powerful than the others. Thor frowned, leaping out of the shelter and disappearing. Steve stood up and watched, spreading his legs for balance as the ground continued to rumble. Finally, it stopped, and Thor hopped back into the hole, his lips tight.

“It’s coming from the building,” he announced. “It must be.”

“Are you sure?” Steve inquired, confused.  _ What, how? Drilling, maybe? The Tesseract is a power source, so they could be using  _ _ it  _ _ to power some kind of machine. _ It was plausible.

“Certain,” Thor nodded once. “We must infiltrate the building somehow. Loki, stealth is your expertise. We will all return to camp, then I will fly you back here and we can search inside together.”

Loki agreed with a slight tip of his head and a leap of his eyebrow . “It would be my pleasure, brother.”

“Good. Everyone  get some rest. We return to camp in the morning.” Thor confirmed, and it was settled.

\--

Another earthquake woke everyone up late at night, and again another early in the morning as the four set off back toward the small forest where their friends were waiting. Steve stayed silent, but his thoughts were on the facility, running possibilities and strategies through his head. There was so little information at hand.

The trees were in sight when Sif pointed up at the mountains. “Thor.”

Steve followed her finger and his eyes caught a glint of gold. Armor. Odin’s forces. He could make out a cluster of warriors making their way down the mountain, picking through deep snow on horseback. The avalanche had obliterated any trace of a path, but they were  descending with success.

“Run,” Thor ordered. “We pick up and move camp immediately, to the other side of the forest.”

The horses pushed on at their fastest pace, and if Odin’s soldier s saw them, there was no way of knowing. Steve couldn’t hear far enough, and couldn’t look back for any gestures that would indicate they’d been spotted. All they could do was run. Any amount of time was too long, and though it was only half  an hour at a break-neck pace, it felt like days. Finally, the trees swallowed them, and they were hidden. The camp was not far.

“We must move,” Thor announced the second his friends came into view. The two parties gave each other a once-over, but no words were spoken. Horses were saddled, supplies were packed away, and all evidence that they’d ever been there was erased. Thor buried the ashes from their fire and Hogan dug animal-shaped prints to conceal any marks left behind at the campsite. Then, they were all cantering deeper into the forest, following the wide belt of trees to the other end. They would end up closer to the facility anyway. Thor remarked this as the horses carried them smoothly through rough underbrush.

“Not close enough,” Sif sighed. “The barren wasteland is not to our advantage.”

“We will make due,” Thor calmly subdued the concerns. “As we have always done.”

“Aye,”  Volstagg agreed.

_ THWAK _ – all heads turned, a moment too late –  _ THUD _ – at the rear, Hogan fell off his horse, an arrow buried in his back.

“ Fandral !” Thor shouted, turning his horse around and brandishing his hammer. The warrior was closest, sliding to the ground and running to help his friend.

Another arrow whizzed through the air and Thor struck it aside with Mjolnir, Steve doing the same with his shield as another came his way.

“Form up!” Thor yelled, and everyone dismounted, surrounding  Fandral and Hogan. Steve followed suit, ducking behind his shield and peering over the rim at the underbrush. There, he saw it, a flash of movement. The Captain dropped his shield an inch and the arrow boun c ed off, then  he  threw the disk into the trees. Two deep cracking sounds, and a figure collapsed into view. The shield bounced back and Steve caught it mid-jump, spinning for momentum and hurling the disk with as much force as he could muster. It jammed another archer in the gut. Steve ran over and smashed the rim with his foot, hearing a devastating crack. The enemy slumped forward, and Steve pulled back his shield.

The rest of the ambush emerged from the trees at once, and from all sides. Thor yelled a battle cry, Steve fell back to his place in the circle, and the battle began. 

“They’re the same as who attacked us before!” Thor called, clocking two attackers with swift bats of his hammer.

“There are far more of them this time,” Loki growled. Thor crackled with power, and his brother whirled around, alarm in his eyes. “Thor, no! Odin’s forces will see.” The lightning ceased.

These weapons were vicious, some made of bones and curved like scythes, but all of them were serrated and very strong. The  warriors  were human in shape, but with all their skin covered, it was impossible to tell for sure . Steve knew one thing, though, they were stronger and faster than ordinary humans.  _ Well, so am I.  _ Maybe this would be different from his usual fights with faceless henchmen.  _ Don’t underestimate them. They injured Thor. Swordplay may not be his specialty, but he’s the God of Thunder for heaven’s sake. _

Steve set his jaw and blocked a sword, then a knife, then a kick, maneuvering his shield perfectly. A curved sword hooked around the edge and ripped it outward, leaving his body exposed. It  was  a good thing he was drawing his sword; Steve swiped it across his body and knocked aside a stabbing knife. A sharp kick to the stomach snapped the attacker’s spine in half; he doubled over and collapsed instantly, leaving Steve to move on to the next in line.

“Fandral!” Thor yelled over the commotion, lifting a man over his head, cracking his back in half with a brutal jerk, then hurling  the body into the forest.

“He’s alive!”  Fandral shouted back. “It’s not a serious blow!”

Thor grunted his approval and blocked a few  sword strikes with his hammer before striking the attacker into oblivion. Steve wished he could just watch, but he had his part to do. And it was feeling too good to hit something, providing an out for days and days of pent-up anxiety. When a broadsword smashed into his shield, it caught his eye; it looked unlike the weapons most of their attackers wielded, in that it was much bigger, and decorated with colorful blue patterns. Steve suspected it had been stolen from other visitors.

No matter. Steve pushed the blade away against his shield and struck out with his own, piercing the owner through the stomach. He ripped sideways, cutting all the way through in a burst of blood. The attacker fell, his huge sword clattering to the frozen soil. Steve passed his sword to his shield hand and kicked the fallen broadsword into  his free hand , hurling  the borrowed weapon like a javelin into the next approaching enemy. It speared him through the chest, and Steve reset his grip on his weapons. 

Another wave was approaching, and Thor appeared at his side, grabbing his shoulder. “Eyes wide, Captain!”

“ You need somethin’ to wake you up ?” Steve grinned and angled his shield, ducking behind it and holding it steady. Thor’s hammer bounced off the center, sending a powerful gust toward the newcomers. They toppled like bowling pins, and the pair pounced, temporarily abandoning the circle to deal with the problem.

“Earth’s foes must come here to find better henchmen!” Thor cackled, catching an attacker in the chest with Mjolnir and flinging him effortlessly into the bushes. “They are skilled, I will give them that!”

Steve smiled and spun rapidly on his heel, flinging his shield into the frozen ground. It bounced off and clocked a man in the chin. He instantly dropped a wicked-looking blade and collapsed. Steve caught his shield and plunged into the fray once more.

“ Volstagg’s down!” Sif yelled, and Steve’s heart jumped. He looked over to catch the woman sliding between her friend and a pair of ruthless enemies.

“I can still fight!”  Volstagg protested, dragging a knife from his shoulder and throwing it down, lifting his blade.

“Steady, my friends!” Thor shouted back, working his way over to help.

Steve was closer. He ran and dropped, sliding easily on the frosty earth and toppling Sif’s assailants. If she had any complaint regarding his help, she had the good sense to keep it to herself, instead swinging around her sword and driving it through one of the fallen enemies. Steve finished off the other and rolled to his feet, backing up to  Volstagg and raising his shield. It was proving to be immensely handy , as usual .

“I must get one of those,”  Volstagg panted, and Steve grinned.

“Maybe when this is over you can throw it around,” the Captain found a flicker of something familiar in his chest. It had burned brightly with the Commandos, it had been growing in strength with the Avengers, and it was igniting here. Steve sank deeper into his stance and truly  analyzed the battle field.

There was plenty of cover among the raw undergrowth, enemies surging from just about everywhere. “Stick together!” Steve called out without thinking, and everyone converged, keeping Hogan and  Volstagg in the center. “They have no patterns that I can see! They’re just swarming us as fast as we can kill them. If we fight them one at a time, we’ll be here forever. Use broad attacks!”

Thor immediately hurled his hammer, blasting through a long line of enemies. He shifted and called the hammer back, felling a cluster more from behind. Sif picked up a fallen sword on the longer side and hurled it like a javelin, spearing two enemies at once. Steve bounced his shield off the ground and Thor smashed it with his hammer. The disk ploughed down a long line of enemies, bounced off a tree, and returned to Steve’s hand, leaving enough time to cut down a few men in between.

The numbers were thinning, and the enemy was becoming more desperate, flinging wilder and stronger blows. The technique was effective. Steve received his first wound, a deep gash in his bicep. Luckily, his armor protected him from any cuts to the torso. The serum slowed his bleeding quickly, and let him concentrate on the fight. They were one man down, another flagging. They couldn’t afford to lose another pair of battle-able hands.

Steve and Sif were the most in the element, Steve with his shield and the ability to effective use it, and Sif with her other-worldly swordsmanship. Despite their conflict, Steve couldn’t have found it in himself to be anything but awed even if he’d tried. She was impressive, adapting to the style of these strange warriors and dispatching them left and right. There was hardly a scratch on her. Thor was always impressive, but Sif was deemed the biggest threat.

She didn’t have a shield like Steve did. A larger group of attackers swarmed her, overwhelming her defenses and starting to make headway with the sheer number of blows thrown at once. One after another, they pelted her with strikes, finally landing on her sword arm. Sif dropped her weapon involuntarily, and Steve stepped in. He jumped for some extra altitude, spinning his shield and bouncing it between the enemy and his colleague, blocking a swarm of blows. The disk sailed back into his hand and he landed, kicking the nearest enemy into his companion with so much for ce he felt ribs shatter beneath his heel.

Sif must have picked up her sword, because she was moving just behind him and to the side, steel bashing against steel. Steve waded deeper into the swarm. Their assailants were spreading out again, unsure of who to gang up  on. Sif was the most skilled swordsman, but the man with the brightly-colored shield was ploughing through their ranks with renewed enthusiasm.

Steve was good at group fighting. He had long limbs, uncharacterizable reflexes, a projectile weapon, and a good eye for angles. He had to say though, that Thor was right: for a faceless army, these guys were pretty good. They’d been holding their own against a super soldier and six Asgardians, two of whom were basically gods. There wasn’t much he could do to prevent the blow that came from behind. It was just bad luck.

“Steve, behind you!”  Volstagg called to warn him, and the Captain twisted his torso, stabbing his blade behind him.

The point pierced flesh, driving through the enemy’s shoulder as he swung his curved blade through Steve’s pant leg and deep in the flesh of his leg. The serrated sword ripped open the back of his knee, and though adrenaline and the serum kept any pain from registering, his leg completely gave way. Steve collapsed to one knee, pulling his sword free and shattering his attacker’s eye socket with one devastating punch.

No matter how hard he tried, his leg refused to lift back up. It barely felt like it was attac h ed.  _ Fought with worse. _ Steve made it his mantra and made due, pushing his sword into the ground and forcing himself to his feet. One behaving  leg  was plenty. The Captain bashed the next enemy in the face with his shield and struck another in the throat with the hilt of his sword. The fight ended for him when all these bastards were dead. There weren’t too many  left .

Stubbornness wouldn’t save him this time. Steve’s couldn’t move fast enough to avoid what came next, forced to block with his shield instead. The  vibranium absorbed the force, but it still pushed against his legs. His left buckled, completely incapable of taking any weight whatsoever. Steve fell to his knee again and grit his teeth, tucking himself behind his shield as a handful of attacks hammered into his defense.

The familiar song of heavy metal clashing with bone and crushing it effortlessly sang over everything ,  followed by  a deep and chesty holler,  then deafening silence.

It was over. Steve peered over the top of his shield. Thor’s shape was unmistakable, his bulk framed by faint sunlight peeking through thick foliage head of them. His bare arm leapt as Mjolnir smacked into his palm, his cape settling around his ankles. Steve sighed and dropped his head, pressing his shield into the ground and resting his forehead on its cool edge.

Thor turned to face the group, offering his hand to Steve. The Captain sheathed his sword and snapped his shield to his back, accepting the help.  Fandral got Hogan’s arm over his shoulders and pulled his friend standing while Sif looped a supporting arm through  Volstagg’s . Loki brushed hair from his face, his knives vanishing somewhere on his person.

“Let’s make camp,” Thor nodded, and glanced at Steve as he took a step.

Steve smiled back, opening his mouth to comment on their victory,  t aking a step forward. Immediately, his leg crumpled, and Thor barely caught him. This was going to be a very long day.

\--

Thor nearly walked away, nearly didn’t stop his friend from falling flat on his face. The demi-god abandoned Mjolnir and swooped in, scooping his arms under Steve’s and righting him. He surveyed the Captain for injuries, noting a few cuts littered about his body, but nothing serious. Something was clearly very wrong, though. Thor anchored Steve’s shoulder and peered over his shoulder. “Your leg...” he murmured, paling.

Steve looked up at him and for once didn’t try to placate with ‘I’m fine’s or ‘it’ll  heal’s . There was questioning in his blue eyes, but strikingly little pain.  _ It hasn’t hit him yet.  _ _ It _ _ will. _

“Come on,” Thor turned and tucked himself under  Steve’s arm. “Let’s put some distance between us and this place. Then we can rest. Hogan?”

“I’ll be alright,” the warrior confirmed hoarsely, pale but not dying. He would survive a short trip on horseback. Thor nodded and guided Steve forward.

Pain bled into the groan that slipped free from the Captain’s lips as he tried to walk. His leg refused to bend at the knee. “Thor-!” Steve grunted in surprise as the demi-god made a decision and scooped him right off the ground ,  drap ing him over his shoulder. At least he didn’t struggle, falling limp and complacent as the larger man carried him to the horses waiting safely a few paces from the perimeter of the fight. Thor stepped carefully over bodies and let Steve slide carefully off his shoulder.

“Can you ride?” Thor asked quietly, ignoring his other  companions as they took care of each other. “Here.” He clasped a hand to the back of Steve’s blood-soaked knee and guided his foot into the stirrup, holding his calf firmly.

Steve grit his teeth and swung his good leg over his horse’s back, settling into the saddle. “Yeah, I’ll be okay.” Thor nodded and walked to his own horse.

The rise was quiet, but everyone was well enough to ride on their own,  a blessing. Thor let Loki lead and settled beside Steve. For a moment, his friend had been himself again, happy and bright as he fought with the graceful power he was so known for. Now, the Captain was back to a slumped position, his eyes staring at nothing. It was a terrible thing to be glad for, but Thor considered it a silver lining that Steve hadn’t been the only one, or even the first to be injured. It would ease the guilt of being a burden, which Thor knew the soldier loathed.  _ The others will heal, and though Steven is not seriously hurt, if he can’t put any weight at all on his leg... _

It merited some thought, at least. Thor hated to consider the implications... Steve had wanted  s o badly to help, as he always did. How long would his magic serum at least render him able to walk?  _ There is no telling until we’re settled and can lick our wounds in peace. Please take heart, Steve. You have value regardless.  _ For a moment, Steve had been the Captain again. He’d slipped into a position of leadership, and the others had followed along, compelled to obey. Even Sif.

“Here will do,” Loki announced suddenly, just as the sun was starting to set and a dry, chilly breeze wove through the trees. Everyone halted and paired off to help each other, settling into a rough circle. Loki even found the bag and started to make a fire, dragging out the necessary supplied for dinner.  Volstagg shuffled closer to help while Sif helped him get undressed.

Steve was already trying to dismount on his own by the time Thor got to him, sliding out of the saddle and clinging to it for support. “Steady,” Thor murmured, guiding a hand from the leather and dragging it over his shoulder s . Then, he wrapped an arm under Steve’s back and hooked the other under his knees, lifting him off his feet.

“Whoa-” Steve paled, his other arm shooting up to wrap around the demi-god's neck. There was no time to protest, because Thor was setting him down on the mat Loki had laid out for him. The Captain looked pale and mortified, but a little disconnected and trembling.

“You fought well,” Thor smiled proudly,  starting on the buckles of Steve’s armor.  He paused a moment to wrap his hand around the back of Steve’s head.

“Is it bad?” Steve whispered, glancing down at his legs.

“We’ll see,” Thor replied apologetically, trying to sound optimistic. “Whatever it is, your serum will heal it. That is what you always tell me.”

“You should probably check on your friends then,” Steve tried for a smile. “They don’t have a magic potion in their blood.  S’fine , I’ll be okay.”

“Your false claims of security are as unconvincing as ever,” Thor smirked, brushing back Steve’s short forelock. The Captain closed his eyes and relaxed for a moment, lost in the touch. “My friends will be alright. Nothing is too serious, and we will all tend to each other. Just as I will tend to you. So be still. Do you trust me?”

“Of c-course,” Steve frowned up at him, eyes flying open with alarm. “Thor, of course.”

“Good,” Thor gave a bright grin. “Then relax as best you can. I will do what I can for you.” He moved his hands and slid off the Captain’s armor.

“ M’sorry ...” Steve squeezed his eyes shut as Thor carefully rolled him onto his side , his voice choked and his cheeks flushing with effort. “Said I’d help... been no help at all. Now what?”

“Steady,” Thor repeated firmly, patting Steve’s hip. “We’d have come away a lot worse from that fight without you, Steven, and we’ll have use for your strategy when we have enough information.  Y ou have a mind like none other. On top of that, you give me courage. So please, do not say that you haven’t been of help.”

Steve’s lower lip quivered, and he peered at Thor with weary, damp eyes. Then, he nodded once, and Thor softly smiled at him, squeezing his thigh.  _ Luck has not favored you, and life has done much harm to you. Yet your spirit is still intact, even if it wavers and struggles so. I may not be as great a warrior for the mind and soul, but please, allow me to offer my help and support. _

And  _ Sif... _ Thor glanced at his comrade as he shuffled down to Steve’s knee, carefully stepping over his friend so he could inspect the wound at a good angle.  _ I am ashamed on her behalf for the way she has treated you. She is a noble warrior, and a stubborn one. I hope after what you did for  _ _ her _ _ she will see sense and make amends.  _

_ Sif later, Steve now. _ Thor  took off his own armor and  unbuckled Steve’s boots . He  slid them off, rolling up  the Captain’s dripping trouser leg to get a look at his knee. The cut was rough,  the ligaments sliced clean through. No wonder the Captain couldn’t bear any weight... Thor stared at the sight, cupping Steve’s hip and rubbing his thumb up and down, up and down...

“There are stitches in here. If you sew the ends together, they will heal faster.” Loki appeared at his side, handing down some supplies. His eyes darted to the blood y mess of the Captain’s knee, but his expression revealed nothing.

Thor nodded gratefully. “Thank you. Are you well?”

Loki nodded back once, turning to retrieve as many blankets as he could from the bottomless bag. “I have concealed us with an illusion. No-one will disturb us tonight.”

Thor sighed with relief and focused on threading his needle. Banner had patiently taught him how, many months ago, had shown him how big each stitch should be and how far apart. It had taken a bit of practice given it was outside of his typical skillset, but he’d gotten the hang of it. His work was not as perfect as Steve’s, but the Captain had praised it every time Thor tended a cut.

Loki brought over some water and  washcloths, a couple of blankets draped over his shoulder. He set everything down and walked away in silence, sitting with his horse to read a book about something hopelessly boring. Thor gave his brother what he wanted and ignored him, focusing all his attention on Steve’s leg.

He’d seen far worse. Gore didn’t faze him, and this was no different. Only, it was. His stomach twisted as he found the bloody ends of severed ligament and Steve whined through gritted teeth. Thor moved slowly, working as delicately as possible while trying to block out the sound of Steve’s halting breathing. It only took a couple of stitches, but the bleeding was insatiable, complicating the job. Thor put down his needle and pressed a cloth over the gaping wound, wrapping both hands around Steve’s knee and pushing.

It hadn’t taken long to dispel that feeling of hesitance, the unwillingness to touch. All Thor wanted to  _ do _ was touch Steve; hug him, kiss him, make him feel better, make him feel warm and loved and adequate.  _ More _ than adequate. At least now he had some training under his belt to more confidently take care of the Captain’s wounds. Maybe Banner could give him some advice on how to mend a hurting soul, too.

The bleeding eased. Thor sat back and wiped his hands, unfolding a blanket and draping it across Steve’s torso. “Almost done,” he murmured, shifting back into position. “Almost done, Steve.” The Captain’s shoulders tensed as the prince washed away as much blood as he could, trying not to tug on the edges of the opening. He did settle a little, though, as Thor folded a piece of clean cloth and pushed it over the wound, wrapping a bandage over it. It probably felt stabilizing.

“How’s everybody else?” Steve rubbed his eyes and peered up, trying to get a good look at the campsite and its other occupants. Thor glanced around and collected the information for him.

“They are well,” he assured with a slight smile, clasping Steve’s leg in one hand and gently rolling him on his back with the other. He tucked a folded blanket under the Captain’s injured knee and gathered the supplies , moving up to Steve’s shoulder . Hogan as asleep, regaining his color by the hour while  Fandral sat beside him.  Volstagg was eating as normal, chatting quietly with Sif. Loki was still buried in his book as if he were alone. Thor smiled a little brighter .

“ Don’t worry about those,” Steve started, batting at Thor’s hands as the demi-god rolled up his sleeves to look at the cuts on his arms.

“Be quiet,” Thor replied firmly, but not unkindly. “Please, Steven. Be still.”

Recognition flashed across Steve’s face, and he settled reluctantly, eyes half-lidded as he watched the demi-god clean away more blood. “You’re getting really good at that...”

Thor smiled proudly, holding up his threaded needle. “I must admit it is tedious trying to fit this thread through such a small hole. I have always admired your patience. It takes all my strength not to become frustrated.”

“I’m honored you’d fight that string for me,” Steve smiled, and though it wasn’t as sunny as before this infernal adventure, it was still warm and happy.

“I would fight a thousand strings for you,” Thor boasted, holding the needle in his fingers and flexing his arm. If only he could punch his way through every problem...

“My hero,” Steve muttered, his smile fading as his consciousness waned.

“Perhaps you should eat before you fall asleep,” Thor lowered his arm. “Your magic serum needs the sustenance.”

Steve was already fighting his eyes open, blinking furiously. He didn’t fight or protest as Thor set aside his needle and lifted him sitting, setting food in his blanketed lap. The demi-god shifted position and settled Steve against his chest, taking up his arm again and starting to stitch the deepest cuts closed. The Captain barely flinched, working through his food until it was gone. Thor paused his work to put water to his lips, urging the soldier to drink before he fell asleep. Steve obeyed, sipping it down until it was gone.

“Thanks,” Steve mumbled, his head drooping forward. Thor laid him down again and tucked a pillow under his head, leaning forward and pressing a kiss into his forehead. 

Steve smiled, content. One deep sigh, and he was out. Thor suddenly remembered he wasn’t alone, straightening and looking around. All his friends were either asleep or occupied. No-one had noticed. The prince smiled to himself and turned back to finish his work. With Steve’s wounds clean and bandaged, Thor put away the supplies and took off his boots, sliding under the covers beside his friend and wrapping himself around the sleeping man as usual. The rise and fall of Steve’s stomach lifted his arm, and soft breaths ticked his hair. It always felt good to have Steve close, helped him sleep, too.

It occurred to him too late that Steve was exhausted, and shouldn’t be. Thor had seen him fight longer and harder and not be nearly as tired as this.  _ Are you not sleeping? _ Thor frowned. Something would have to be done... Perhaps Steve would be tired enough to get a full night’s rest without dreaming.  _ If I could punch those demons away, I would. _


	9. Chapter 9

No amount of cuddling would quell the nightmares growing stronger by the day. Dark fingers crawled from the darkness and wrapped around his mind, yanking it down to the places he fought so hard to keep it from. For a time, all he’d needed for a good night’s sleep was Thor’s embrace. It had been a gift, having a demi-god available to spoon him when he was having a hard time sleeping. Just like that, Thor’s heartbeat pounding into his back had lulled him back to sleep too many times to count. 

Could nothing ever be that easy? 

Steve woke himself up, dragging free of the nightmare before it could hold him. If this were the tower, he’d get up and beat the shit out of some punching bags, or do pushups until the sun came up. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t be able to even get up, regardless of where he was, so he was stuck on his back, staring at the stars through a tiny gap in the foliage. 

After the serum, he’d been able to see more stars. There was too much light pollution looking out from the tower, but here the sky was clear and dark, what little of it he could see. Perfect for stargazing. Steve wished he could relax and enjoy it. With exhaustion pulling his eyes closed while panic fought to keep them open lest he dream, it was impossible to settle and enjoy the sight. Not to mention the knowledge that he couldn’t _ walk _... What if the serum couldn’t heal it? What if something happened first and he couldn’t protect anyone? Or worse, what if they had to protect him and got hurt doing so? What if the mission ended tomorrow, and he was sent home like this? 

_ It’ll heal, _ Steve grit his teeth and clenched his fists, smacking the mat underneath him in frustration. _ It would heal a lot faster if I could get some damn sleep... _ At least his broken ribs were little more than dully aching bruise. 

Thor grunted beside him, but for once hadn’t suffered any nightmares that Steve could tell. _ Inconsiderate. I didn’t know he got nightmares like that. Did I ever ask? Course not. I was too wrapped up in my own. There’s a lot about him I don’t know. How many proper conversations have we had? Not very many. _

Strange... because Thor had comforted him through all kinds of suffering; physical, emotional... When had they ever stopped to talk about the issues in-depth? Never. Steve had revealed causes and a handful of fears, but had never gone in deep, and was rarely up-front about his struggles. Hell of a time for everything to go to shit, the one place he couldn’t be open and feel safe sharing what needed to be out in the open. Steve nearly woke Thor up just thinking about it, licking his lips at a memory. No matter how many times the prince kissed him, it always made him blush. He smiled a little, the thought of Thor’s big hands on his neck, his face, his waist, giving him strength. 

It wasn’t enough to earn him a night’s sleep, but it was enough to blossom some semblance of happiness through his chest until the sun rose again. 

\-- 

Steve’s eyes were ringed with grey when Thor awoke. He looked half dead, eyelids heavy but open and his lips parted, breathing deeply. He clearly hadn’t slept a wink. 

“Morning,” Thor smiled, sitting up to get a better view. 

Steve blinked himself into full awareness, returning the smile. It was lifeless and wholly unsettling. “Mornin’.” 

Thor folded back the blanket and got up, tucking it back around his friend and rising. “Feeling any better?” 

The Captain gave no answer, and Thor didn’t pry; he’d only asked to be polite, anyway. _ He looks much worse. _ The others were waking, lifting a barrier between himself and his suffering friend. All he could do was rummage for breakfast. 

When he came back, Steve was sitting, clutching the blanket to his chest and tucking his other hand under his injured knee. A deep wince carved into his smooth features as he tried to bend it with the added support. Thor could hear a growl collecting in the Captain’s throat, could see the fire of frustration igniting his eyes and revitalizing him. Thor wished he could stay here instead of head off, but Loki was the only one who could get into that building, and Thor couldn’t ask it of anyone else to go along. There was no way around it. 

“How are the others?” Steve abandoned his leg and looked up as Thor passed him some liquor and bread. There was genuine concern in his eyes, and though the question was probably to deflect attention from himself, the Captain still cared. 

Hogan was sitting, rubbing his face and looking weary and pain, but alive. Volstagg was cheerfully gathering some food to pass around, humming a little to himself. His arm looked stiff, but he could move and use it. Thor smiled. “They are well. I take it you didn’t sleep much last night...” 

Steve just stared down at his drink and grunted ambiguously around the flask. At least he wasn’t turning down the alcohol. Truthfully, Thor had hoped to at least render his anxious friend slightly inebriated. The Captain was already benched, so it didn’t matter if he was sober enough to fight. If getting a little drunk helped him sleep, he would heal and recover faster. 

“You can read some of Loki’s books while we’re gone,” Thor beamed. “They are so boring I once almost died from reading one, but you might like them.” 

“Thanks...” Steve smiled a little into his bread roll. 

Thor patted him heartily on the shoulder between mouthfuls. “I’m sure you will all have plenty of tales to exchange. Fandral is the best story-teller. You must ask him about the time we explored the vast forests of Vanaheim and discovered a tribe of lizard creatures that tried to eat Volstagg.” 

“He will not be bored!” Fandral assured. Steve nodded mutely, troubled but a little improved. 

“Take heart my friend,” Thor knelt beside him and squeezed his shoulders warmly. “It is not forever.” 

“I know...” Steve sighed bashfully and hung his head. “I can already feel it healing.” 

“Then rest, and it will heal more,” Thor cupped his neck. 

The Captain leaned into the supportive touch, and for a moment looked like he might drop. He didn’t, staring up wearily at Thor. “Be careful.” 

“I will.” Thor promised. “And if not, then my brother will make sure I don’t do anything too stupid.” 

“Reassuring,” Steve smirked. 

“He has been keeping an eye on me for fifteen-hundred years,” Thor chuckled. 

“And stabbing you,” Steve muttered. 

“Mildly,” Thor scoffed. 

“You can’t stab someone _ mildly,” _Steve objected. 

“Yes you can,” Thor argued, giving Steve’s cheek a light smack and standing up before any retaliatory blows could be dealt. “I will place your weapons within reach. If an emergency arises and you must flee, Fandral can help you mount your horse.” 

The warrior flourished his hand and dipped into a bow. “You need only ask.” 

“Thanks,” Steve’s smile was grateful, but strained. Thor wished he hadn’t had to reach out like that, but he didn’t trust the Captain to ask for help. 

“We should leave while the weather is good,” Loki was at his side, peering at him calmly. Thor nodded and cast a final glance to Steve. 

“Go,” the Captain smiled reassuringly. “We’ll be okay.” 

“We will do our best to return by nightfall,” Thor nodded, reluctantly walking over to join his brother. The others bid him good luck and goodbye as he wrapped his arm around Loki, called Mjolnir to his hand, and flung them both into the sky with a few quick spins. 

\-- 

Loki had never liked to travel this way. It taken Thor a long time to notice. There was no helping it, though. He gave his brother some space when they landed, letting the man straighten his clothes with a few purposeful strokes. Loki came to stand beside him and they both observed the building up close, cloaked from view. 

“We must get the door open somehow,” Thor mused, nodding to himself as if he had a plan, tenderly setting Mjolnir in a snowbank. 

“Yes. Leave that to me.” Loki replied, his tone tacking an unspoken _ ‘as usual’ _ to the end. “Just follow my lead.” 

A flash of light and they were both hidden from view, or so Thor would assume; he could still see himself and Loki at his side. His brother walked up to the main door as if he owned the place, and knocked. Thor hopped through the snow and crouched to one side, curiously waiting to see what would appear. It took half a minute to be rewarded with the sound of mechanisms clicking smoothly between the walls, then door cautiously peaked open. 

Out peered a humanoid head covered in smooth black skin, cat-like eyes searching the snow. A questioning warble began in its throat, cut short by Loki’s strangling hands. Seconds later, the brothers were inside, the door closed, and their appearances updated. They strode off into the facility. 

Loki was right. This was only the first floor, and there wasn’t much to see. The hallways were crisp and grey, clinical. Thor hadn’t been in too many, but it reminded him of an Earth hospital. The smell was similar. He looked down at his feet as they padded on the smooth metal floors. The illusion had copied bare toes, covered in the same smooth black hide, long claws retracted, soft fur covering the foot in thick tufts. Probably to protect against the snow, Thor reasoned wisely. Yes, that would be it. These creatures were obviously comfortable in a cold, snow climate given the thin grey jumpsuit he was wearing. It was snug, highlighting a sleek body underneath. 

“Stop admiring yourself,” Loki muttered. “Eyes up.” 

Thor obeyed his brother and straightened, stomping along with his head held high as a small squadron dressed in similar jumpsuits trotted past. They paid no attention to Loki, so Loki ignored them in turn. The brothers rounded the corner without incident, and Thor settled back into a bouncy stroll once more. 

“I wasn’t admiring myself,” he retorted. 

“You were.” 

“Nothing to admire. There’s not a muscle on me. I’m all bone.” 

Loki rolled his slitted eyes, somehow looking exactly like himself despite the completely different appearance. “You _ have _ muscle, it’s just more for running than lifting. Just because you’re unnaturally wide doesn’t mean it’s normal for every species.” 

“I _ know _ what ‘unnaturally’ means,” Thor scoffed. “And I am _ not _ ‘wide’.” 

“I beg to differ. Now shut up, we’re here,” Loki paused in front of a set of double doors, searching for a button. Thor caught on and helped look, pressing his finger over and over again into the wall in the hopes that he might find a secret hidden control panel. He did not, but Loki noticed a small rectangle outlined on the wall and pressed his palm into it. Loki lifted an eyebrow at his brother while a light slowly scanned his hand, and Thor straightened, letting his arm fall to his side. 

The doors slid open, and together the stepped into an empty elevator. The doors slid shut. 

“On Earth they play soft and pleasant music in these devices,” Thor commented cheerfully, watching Loki ponder over a control panel full of brightly-lit buttons. 

“Whatever for?” his brother mused, pushing the lowest button on the panel. 

Thor shrugged. “To perhaps ease their nerves? Some humans must not like elevators.” 

“Ask your Midgard friend,” Loki suggested, uninterested. 

“That I will!” Thor agreed. “Steven will know.” 

Loki had no further comment as he straightened and stood rigid beside his brother. A light across the top of the doors blinked slowly from one side to the other, changing shape as it went. Thor could only assume it was a count-down as they descended to the bottom floor. Finally, there was a soft ding, and the doors slid open. Immediately, they were swarmed by a group dressed in dirty navy coveralls, and carrying boxes of tools. The brother slid out of the elevator to leave them room and walked briskly into the area. 

The room was huge and wide open. It looked like a ball room, with high ceilings and bright lights everywhere. There was a walkway all around the perimeter, lined with railings. Others just like it wrapped around the walls higher up, gangways leading toward the center. There, hung an enormous machine, roughly orb-shaped and connected to the gangways. Huge cables strung all through the cavernous room like vines in a jungle, pulsing with a familiar blue light. Workers swarmed around the machine, maintaining and repairing it. Both brothers stared at the center of the contraption, watched panels and mechanisms shift gracefully as if it were an organism, all powered by the Tesseract. The cube glowed an inviting blue, crackling with raw power. 

Thor took a step forward, but Loki’s hand on his arm halted him. 

“We do not have a plan,” he looked to Thor sternly. “We have no idea what the machine does, nor what would happen if we were to remove the Tesseract. We do not know what security measures are in place. We must search the building for whatever information we can find, and return.” 

Thor nodded. “I wish only to look over the edge.” He pointed at the railing, the bottom of the machine hidden by the platform they were standing on. 

Loki rolled his eyes. “Forgive me for thinking you impulsive, brother.” 

Together, they walked to the edge and peered over. It was difficult to know what to make of the sight. Out the bottom of the machine came blasts of blue energy, feeding into an opening in the floor. There, writhing and pulsing, was what looked like another universe. It was glowing, shimmering, _ purring _ as power fed relentlessly into it. It took Thor a moment to realize that this was _ skin _ of some sort. Something caught his eye, a flash of color he hadn’t see on this planet since arriving: green, rich yellowy green that was bright and delicious. Through a window was a greenhouse, huge and blossoming with all kinds of plants Thor didn’t recognize, but could tell were for food purposes. Workers walked along rows of crop, and the soil glowed with the same other-worldly shimmer as the surface below their feet. 

Another earthquake rattled the building, dust showering from the ceiling and a crack tearing up the wall. It was stronger than all the others, more violent, and lasted longer. A worked screamed as a gangway split beneath his feet, crumbling away and dropping him all the way to the bottom. His body cracked against the railing, and he toppled into the opening. The mass consumed him, swirling like thick honey and absorbing its extra meal. The rumbling persisted a few seconds longer before it settled. The brothers raced for the elevator, while the workers resumed without a moment’s pause. 

“They’re using the Tesseract to feed the planet,” Loki breathed, pushing another button on the panel. “In return, it feeds them. But they giving it too much power.” 

“If we take their source of power, they will die,” Thor growled back. 

“They will die whether we take it or not!” 

Thor clenched his jaw and squeezed his fists. He didn’t like this. It didn’t feel right, even though he knew Loki was right. The Tesseract was a source of power. It would keep feeding the planet until it was full, and would not stop. Whatever that led to, it wouldn’t be good. 

“Are you sure it is the planet? How do you know? What if it’s just some really big snake that lives under this building?” Thor tried. 

Loki grit his teeth. “I very much doubt that. The earthquakes? Something is disrupting the core.” 

_ Know-it-all... _ Thor sneered, “Fine. So it’s the planet. What will happen to the people who live here?” 

“If the earthquakes continue as they have been, getting stronger and closer together, they will rip this planet apart,” Loki calmly explained, just as the elevator doors opened. “I do not know how long it will take.” 

They’d have to be fast. There was no time to waste. Thor didn’t like this at all, but he nodded solemnly. “Then we must gather what information we can.” 

Loki nodded, and they stepped out of the elevator to do some more exploring. 

\-- 

The day dragged on endlessly. Steve tried to forget about his leg and focus on Loki books or Fandral’s tales. He managed to find a comfortable position, lifted his injured leg so he could fold the other one under it and sit up, his blanket wrapped around his shoulders. 

The others were staring. They had to be. He could feel their eyes on him as he held shaking hands in his lap. Steve wasn’t sure at this point if it was exhaustion or anxiety. Probably both. He fought to keep his expression neutral and reached for a book, struggling to focus his eyes on the little black words. 

The subject matter was interesting enough, though some of it went right over his head. Loki’s books were mostly on astronomy, and only a few were written in English. Steve clamped his thoughts around the physics of stars, thermodynamics, and black hole theory. Tony would be proud. Maybe he’d be able to hold his own in a conversation about space by the time he got back. By the looks of things, he’d be benched for another day at least. Probably more. 

A deep healing itch was crawling through his knee, but it wasn’t nearly as noticeable as it should be. _ So long as it heals. That’s all I want. I just want it to heal. _

No, he wanted more. He wanted it to heal _ now _, wanted to greet Thor tonight standing on his own two feet. Even if he’d been well-rested, that was unlikely. 

“You’ve been staring at the same page for ten minutes. Are Loki’s books truly that boring?” Volstagg plopped down beside him, hands full of food, peering over at the book. 

Steve closed it and set it aside. “No, just got lost in through, that’s all.” Thor had been leaving him alone, aware of the group dynamic and of Steve’s own self-consciousness, that he knew. But Volstagg? The man seemed nice enough, had been friendly toward him since their very first interaction. Steve just hoped he had the good sense not to pry. 

“Here, can’t heal on an empty stomach,” the Asgardian shoved food into his hands and started to work on his own. 

Steve blinked and obeyed wordlessly, too tired to decide whether or not he was hungry. Sif sat with Hogan and ignored him, and Fandral walked over to join them. 

“Thor tells me you have many exciting tales of great battles fought,” Fandral sat cross-legged. “Rumor has it Midgard has faced many great battles worthy of legendary tales and ballads.” 

Steve nodded sadly. “Yeah, we’ve had a couple of world wars, plus a few alien attacks. Did Thor tell you about the android we fought on Sakaar?” 

“A little,” Volstagg frowned, looking up at his own eyebrows as he tried to remember the details. “He said it was one of the better fights of his time.” 

Steve smiled. “It was a good fight.” 

“I wish I could have been there to watch!” Volstagg chuckled and stuffed his mouth. “It must have been quite exciting.” 

“Yeah, it was...” _ the bits I remember. It nearly didn’t end well. And I owe the victory to Thor. _

“Fandral, tell him of the time we went to Jotunheim and fought an army of frost giants,” Volstagg exclaimed. “And the beast Thor defeated!” 

“He flew into its mouth and out the back of its head!” Fandral made a spinning motion with his hand and swung his arm forward, mimicking the motion Thor used with Mjolnir. 

Steve chuckled and fell silent, listening to the pair recount wild tales that were like exaggerated beyond recognition, but enjoyable all the same. He ate the food Volstagg continued to pile into his lap, and the shaking eased as he got lost in worlds he couldn’t hope to spell, imagining Thor fighting beasts he’d never heard of. Perhaps this evening he could ask the demi-god to describe some of these places and monsters, so he could draw them. That would be nice... 

His eyelids were drooping shut again. Steve forced them open before anyone could notice. _ Don’t leave me with my own thoughts please. _ Luckily, it was not hard to keep the two Asgardian warriors talking, and it got him through the rest of the day. 

\--

When Thor came back, he was fine. Steve checked, scanning both brothers the second the dropped from the sky. Everyone abandoned what they were doing apart from  Volstagg , who tended the fire and watched their cooking dinner, but looked up and smiled at his friend. The sun had just dipped below the horizon – they were just in time.

“Thor,” Steve nearly started to stand, remembering his predicament with the flash of agony that split his knee. He let his leg fall limp and watched his friend set Mjolnir on the ground and take off his armor, worry tightening the demi-god's expression.

“Thor, what did you find up there?”  Volstagg prodded.

“The situation is more dire than I anticipated,” the prince replied, sitting heavily beside Steve and making eye contact. “The Tesseract is being used as a power source and is keeping the people who live in that building alive.”

“By feeding the ground itself,” Loki butted in, sitting cross-legged beside his horse and shooting his brother a warning stare. “The earthquakes grow stronger with each one. They are over-feeding the planet. We must take back the Tesseract before it destroys the integrity of the very ground we stand on.”

Steve frowned, eyebrows pushing close together as he processed the information.

“There is no time to waste,” Thor agreed, though he didn’t look happy about it, conflict twisting behind troubled eyes. “We must storm the building tomorrow.”

“We need a plan,” Loki corrected. “The species that live there are agile, and very strong. They rival even your abilities, Captain.”

Steve looked up and locked eyes with the God of Mischief for a moment. Sif snorted quietly, but nobody missed it. Volstagg nudged her arm roughly, Thor glared at her, and Steve felt a selfish spark of satisfaction in his chest.

“Their security systems are weak, but still demand caution,” Loki continued, looking away from Steve and addressing the whole group. “Their scanners appear to gather visual information, and were fooled by my illusions. There are large numbers living there, including guards and warriors. We discovered a training room.”

“There are indeed impressive,” Thor agreed, respect overwhelming his tone.

“Odin’s forces move toward us,” Loki added. “We spotted them on our return. They have ventured into the forest, but I have hidden our location as well as the remnants of our battle. They will not find us here.”

“Good,” Thor nodded. “Then all we need is a plan.”

\--

They asked his opinion even though he wasn’t coming. Steve gave it, reluctantly at first but gaining some confidence as he engaged in the discussion and the others replied to his suggestions. Sif was almost entirely silent. When they were satisfied, Thor announced that everyone should get as much rest as possible. The group spread out a little, moving away from Steve’s mat to return to their own. Thor got up too, and came back with drinks and clean bandages.

“I wish for your sake that you could come,” Thor offered quietly.

“ S’not your fault,” Steve turned on his side and tugged up the blankets so Thor could inspect his leg. “One of those things, right? Accidents happen on the battlefield. I’m just lucky this won’t be permanent.” He paused, fear creeping up his throat, threatening to strangle him. “I-it’s not permanent, is it...?”

“Even if your serum cannot heal it, which I doubt, I will take you to  Asgard when this is over,” Thor squeezed his hip, and the warmth of that touch alone made it easier to breathe. “You will heal, Steven. I will make sure of it, one way or another.”

Steve squeezed the blanket to his chest and nodded, reluctant but reassured. “Thanks,” he whispered. “You deserve better than this...”

“Better than what?” Thor  inquired, his hands gentle as they unwrapped the Captain’s knee.

“Better than... this,” Steve gestured uselessly to himself, eyes fixed forward. He didn’t dare look back to find out how what was in the prince’s expression. He swallowed nervously. “Better than what I gave you.”

“I am not certain I understand,” Thor implored, battle-toughened fingers cradling his leg and peeling back the bloody compress. Steve shivered, the cold seeping into his exposed wound and all the damaged inside. He could feel the separated ligaments, the slashed muscle, the strain of the serum as it tried to work despite his crippling exhaustion.

“You learned how to stitch for me, and all I ever gave you for it was more chance to practice,” Steve whispered, struggling to put how he felt into words without breaking down. He was too tired to hold himself together if he let things get away from him... Thor had the patience to keep working in silence, letting him collect his thoughts and organize them into words. “I told you I’d come to help, and now you have to leave me behind and take care of me, and I hate it.”

Thor left another long stretch of silence to make sure he was finished, finally adding his own thoughts. They sounded hesitant, and Steve wondered if the demi-god wasn’t sure what to say either. “Steven... it is my pleasure to help, and my only wish is that you would let me.”

Steve bit his lip, his throat tight and his eyes watering. He forced down his tears no matter how badly it burned, keeping silent until a tug on his leg ripped a moan through pressed lips.

“Sorry, I’m sorry, Steve...” Thor murmured, holding firmly on either side of the knee to stabilize it. “Steve... we discussed this on Sakaar. I do not require repayment. You are my friend, and a great leader, and you deserve to be cared for. It is my honor to do it. Just as you care for your team, we must care for you. It is as much our duty as it is our pleasure.”

Steve squeezed the blanket tighter, as tight as he could, squeezing his eyes shut. He couldn’t do this, not now, not with Thor’s other friends nearby. Maybe they couldn’t hear the quiet conversation over the fire, maybe some of them were already asleep, but he felt ashamed to be lying here broken and vulnerable, useless. Thor had told them he was strong, that he was a warrior they would proud to fight alongside. Instead, they would head off to battle without him. Poor  Volstagg was staying behind, too, kept from the excitement to watch over him.

“Is it healing?” Steve whispered weakly, and it was all he could manage.

“Yes,” Thor replied. “Yes, it is. I am going to cut out the stitches, alright? Don’t move.”

Steve nodded obediently as Thor carefully set down his leg and walked off to find another tool, probably a small knife. The Captain tensed involuntarily as his friend picked up his leg once more and probed the edges of the wound, trying to get a good angle. It wasn’t pleasant, having someone fiddle with the inner workings of his knee, no matter how perfectly steady Thor  was. His accuracy was breathtaking. Steve couldn’t see, and didn’t dare look, but he could feel the prince’s grip on his leg, a slight tug, and then nothing more. The stitches were out. Suddenly his leg felt much weaker without those tiny threads holding severed ligaments together, as if the slightest movement would rip them apart again. He shivered at the thought, and immediately a hand came up to cup his hip.

_ Thor just wants to help. That’s all he wants. Can’t I give him that? After all he’s done? Can I not just give him that simple thing? It’s hurting him.  _ I’m  _ hurting him. He has nightmares about not being enough! Can’t I just let go and let him  _ help _ me? Don’t I trust him enough to believe him when he says he doesn’t mind? Why is it so hard to believe I’m worth any of this...? _

All questions he had no answers for, or at least didn’t have the desire to think about. Not here, with all these other people.  _ I have to tell him. I have to tell him. I have to tell him. _ There had to be a way to force himself to hold that promise, for Thor’s sake if nothing else. For Thor, who was patiently taking care of him for only the thousandth time, too good for any words in Steve’s vocabulary, maybe in any language that existed. 

Thor finished cleaning away the blood, pushing a fresh cloth over the opening and bandaging it in place. The pressure felt comforting, easing his nerves. Thor wrapped it thick, supporting the wound. He’d always been good at tying a firm bandage without making it too tight. Steve wondered how many people got to appreciate Thor’s gentler side.  _ There’s a lot more to him than meets the eye. He’s the gentlest person I’ve ever met. _ Gentler than Peggy, gentler than Bucky, gentler than any number of nurses he’d encountered throughout his bloody career. And he’d been so hesitant to touch when they’d first met, when Steve had first needed the demi-god's care. That had all been wiped away very quickly, leaving behind unwavering confidence and a compassion that left only one word to describe it: worthy.

Worthy... so vague and yet on-point.  _ I don’t think I ever asked him about his trip to Earth before the attack on New York... he told me a little, and I read a few details in his file, but I never properly asked him. I’ll have to do that. _

“That’ll do it,” Thor whispered bracing Steve’s knee with a hand while he used the other to roll him onto his back at the hip. The demi-god pushed the folded blanket back into place and shuffled up to cuddle under the blankets next to him.

“Thanks,” Steve smiled. “I don’t think I could ever thank you enough...”

“Then don’t,” Thor beamed, his cheeks pink and soft. Strange how someone with such a stern, solid, square face could look so... _ sweet _ . “You owe me nothing.”

“You keep reminding me...” Steve sighed. “Might take me a while to process it.”

“I will remind you as many times as it takes. I have lived fifteen-hundred years. Chastising you repeatedly will not be the most repetitive thing I have ever done.” Thor was grinning, a glint of malevolence in his eyes that made Steve wonder if his brother had rubbed off on him somewhat. Maybe it ran in the family. Thor could have easily inherited it from his mother.

“Cheeky,” Steve smiled back, blushing. 

“Go to sleep, Steven,” Thor shut his eyes and pressed their shoulders together, still grinning.

“As you wish,” Steve replied, shutting his eyes and allowing himself to lose to the darkness.

When Thor awoke very late in the evening, the Captain was gone.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bit of a shorter chapter this time ;)  
if you missed it, I added a couple of paragraphs to yesterday's chapter!

He could distinctly remember what it had first felt like to run. Before the serum, he’d managed a jog, but never for longer than a minute. It was just too hard on his body. Then suddenly he’d been more powerful than he could imagine, tripled in size and pulsing with raw energy. For a moment he’d forgotten all about Dr. Erskine’s death, enamored with how easy it was to move.

This felt very much like that, something recent and terribl e clinging to the back of his consciousness, unshakable but overwhelmed by sensory input. Only this time, it was dread coursing through his veins and invigorating him. He was running for his life, bare feet smacking dry and unforgiving snow, the cold ground ripping at soft skin. But it didn’t matter; the skin was numb.

Clear frozen air chewed on his throat, made his eyes water, but he couldn’t slow down, wouldn’t. The serum could keep him at full speed for a long time. Paired with adrenaline, he was unstoppable.

Bright sun glinted off endless snow, blinding him. That didn’t matter. He didn’t need to see to escape. All he had to do was keep moving forward.

Bullet ripped up either side of him, pelting his legs with hard ice as the ground exploded on impact. Whirring engines got closer, and he wove to dodge the bullets. The plane was faster, sweeping back and forth. A bullet clipped his ankle, then another, then another. None of that mattered. He could barely feel it. He almost laughed – nothing could stop him!

Whirring engines got closer, howling like vengeful ghosts. They hummed and moaned hungrily, gaining. He could feel their pull the closer they got, could feel his white SSR shirt fluttering around his pulsing torso. The guns stopped, which meant...

Steve glanced over his shoulder and nearly fell over, stumbling over his own feet. The Valkyrie loomed over him, blocking out the sky. He could see through the window, into the cockpit where sat the pilot – himself, dressed in his old uniform, jaw set with determination, face grey and dead glazed eyes somehow staring right into him. He couldn’t run any faster, but he tried. He was Captain America. He could run as fast as was needed.

An ominous clicking rang out across the barren wasteland, followed by a hydraulic whine and a deep rumble. Something whistled over his shoulder, and Steve had the good sense to dive sideways, rolling and changing direction. The ice beside him exploded as a missile detonated, sending rippling shock waves all across the terrain. Another click, another whistle: Steve dove once more, narrowly avoiding a second missile. New York, London, Moscow... they were all coming for him. His body was starting to slow down from the strain, unable to keep up no matter how perfectly he blocked out the pain. He couldn’t feel the exhaustion, but he was leaving bloody footprints behind that weren’t as evenly spaced as before. BOOM, another missile, and another. Steve dodged them all. He wouldn’t give in, no matter what. Fear kept him moving.

He knew what was coming. Fear electrified his body and pushed him impossibly faster, wearing down his joints and his muscles and his lungs and his heart. He would run himself dead.

It was better than the alternative, even though he knew what came next... the Valkyrie overtook him, the embodiment of Death itself blocking out the sun, its nose pointed down. Steve realized his mistake, trying to slow his body and turn around, but he didn’t have the co-ordination. His wearing body collapsed, though he struggled to stand again and run in the opposite direction. It was too late. The Valkyrie pieces the ice and water exploded like lava from a volcano, showering. The first few frigid droplets splattered his shirt and soaked through, locking up his muscles.

“N-no! N-no,  _ not again! _ ” Steve screamed, clawed at the ice as it cracked and separated, behind him. Tendrils of black water reached for him, wrapping around his legs and dragging him backward. The ice split perfectly beneath him and welcomed him to the depths as he screamed and thrashed, welcoming sub-zero water into his lungs. It only made the dread worse, made it harder to move, perpetuating the vicious cycle. It was over.

_ Never over. Never over. Keep fighting. Always keep fighting. Never stop fighting. All I do, is fight. All I can  _ _ do, _ _ all I ever did. Fight. Don’t stop, not for anyone. Always fight. _ Steve fought, clawing for the sun that was slipping away from him as he sank. The ice sealed back into place over his head, the cracks slotting perfectly together and vanishing. Everything was dark.

Then, there was light. A warm, white light piercing the infinite blackness. Steve tried to turn in the water, his body burning and his head throbbing. There was no oxygen left in him, no energy, but he had to move, had to see...

The Valkyrie faced him, mocking him, tracking him with its lights as they descended together in perfect sync. And in the cockpit sat himself, still staring out with eyes that glowed white, skin so pale it was practically glowing too.

MINE. YOU ARE MINE.

A voice echoed through the water, clear and hollow. Steve heard them with all five senses, and it sucked the life from him. There wasn’t much left, but there was some, enough that he could feel it slide out of him like a deep splinter. 

YOU WILL NEVER ESCAPE. I OWN YOU. MINE.

The Captain’s lips were moving in the cockpit, forming those words. Steve realized he was mouthing them too.  _ Believing _ them.

Believing them.

HERE YOU WILL REMAIN. MINE. YOU ARE MINE. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MINE. I OWN YOU. MINE.

A mantra. A promise. One Steve was repeating, singing it along with man in the plane. And when he stopped... the words stopped too, and the water was silent. The pair of them stared at each other, the Captain motionless but vengeful as he stared out the window. That window... A window he’d looked through for so long.

No more.

YOU ARE MINE-  _ No. Help me.  _ MINE-  _ Help, please, someone. MINE- No, not yours. Please, help. PLEASE help me. _

_ HELP ME! DOWN HERE. I'M DOWN HERE. ALONE. HELP ME! I’M DYING! I CAN’T DO THIS ALONE. I CAN’T, NOT ANYMORE, I NEED YOU. PLEASE. _

He screamed it, and the corpse glared at him. The Valkyrie started to sink past him, taking the lights with it. Something gurgled far below, a gentle blue caressing his face, outlining the Valkyrie, and growing in strength. The color was cold in hue, but warm with its promise. It was familiar. Steve smiled, finding just enough strength to do at least that. Perhaps he could call out one more time...

_ PLEASE... HELP. I NEED YOU. I SHOULD HAVE CALLED OUT A LONG TIME AGO. I’M SORRY... HELP ME. _

The light grew stronger, and the Valkyrie sank lower. Steve felt a weight in his hand before he got anywhere close. He knew what that was, knew who owned that bright, vital blue. It split the Valkyrie through the center, and the ship exploded in a muted ball of orange. Out of the fiery cloud burst Mjolnir, and Steve whipped around his hand. How he managed it in his condition and underwater, it bore no thought. His fingers settled around the familiar – the  _ warm _ – handle, and his body shot upward toward the surface.

_ I have you. _

Steve sobbed and grinned and clung to the hammer as tightly as he could, strength pouring down his arm and allowing him to do so. Mjolnir carried him, his white steed, blasting toward the dull sunlight masked by layers of solid ice. Whatever brightness was available faded as the ice thickened, pushing downward, hell-bent on imprisoning him. Steve set his jaw and hung on tight, focusing on the bright crackle of lightning.

They were getting closer and closer, Mjolnir’s ascension never slowing, not even when a pair of frozen hands wrapped around his ankle and pulled.

Steve looked down and saw the Captain there, sunken eyes wide, blood leaking between pressed teeth. Fingernails dug into his skin, and the Captain pulled. He was no match for Mjolnir. The ice was upon then, and the hammer exploded through it, rupturing the hard layers like they were made of chocolate shavings. Steve’s legs left the surface, and the Captain with him, immediately rupturing in a  cloud of icy diamonds .

Steve could breath, sucking rasping breaths as Mjolnir carried him up and up and up, far away from the ice and the Valkyrie and the Captain. It took him up above the clouds, up past the atmosphere and into the stars. A warm golden glow brushed his arm, and Steve turned, catching a flash of scarlet. A soft hand touched his cheek, tender and caring and concerned.

_ I have you. _

Steve gasped for breath, clutching the snow beneath him with shaking fists. Mjolnir was gone. He was alone with the storm. He was awake.

The imagined warmth of a memory vaporized. Steve came back to his body, wrapping his arms around himself.  _ Move.  _ _ Gotta _ _ move. _ Snow pelted his back and wind tore at his shirt, but he forced frozen limbs to obey.  _ Where’m’I _ _ ? _ All he could see was white, and all he could feel was cold. The wind shifted and pierced his eyes. Steve cried out hoarsely, but the sound was lost as he squeezed his eyelids shut and huddled up in a ball. Dead, grey hands stretched up from the darkness, grabbing for him. He shouted again and reached out desperately, but his fingers only found snow. It was dry and powdery, slipping through his fingers as the storm whipped it up with the rest of the flakes showering down.

There was a flash of red in his peripheral vision. Steve’s heart leapt with hope and warmth, and his cheek warmed with another imagined touch, but when he turned all he saw was blood. The storm had swallowed his feet, but he could see a trail of red disappearing into it.  _ Yes, a trail! They can find me! _ But the storm was eating the stain, covering it with fresh snow. Steve sobbed and dragged his legs into his chest. Only one obeyed, the other splayed uselessly behind him. He must have torn it open in running. Running...? Had he run here? He must have.

_ Somehow... _ Steve shivered and tried to kickstart his brain.  _ C’mon soldier... think! Any landmarks...? No,  _ _ nothin _ _ ’... can’t see  _ _ nothin _ _ ’. M'I  _ _ bleedin _ _ ’? Little...  _ _ Musta _ _ been  _ _ runnin _ _ ’ hard to warm up enough to bleed like that... S... _ _ s’cold _ _ ... _ But he could still feel his extremities, though barely.  Somehow he hadn’t settled into hypothermia deeply enough to stop shivering, but it wouldn’t be long. He knew that much.

_ Cn’I _ _ move? HELP ME. Call for help... _

Steve opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He unwrapped one arm and pushed it under his body, but it shook too badly and collapsed immediately. A weight was starting to press him down, and it took a few moments of sluggish thought to discern that it was snow piling up. He had to move, had to shake it off so his friends could find him.

_ Friend. One friend. The others hate me.  _ _ M’a _ _ stranger. Trouble,  _ _ s’all _ _ .  _ _ Nothin _ _ ’ else. _ Steve might have cried if he’d been warmer. His throat ached and his lungs burned as if he’d run a super-soldier marathon. Maybe he had. There was no way of knowing, no reference points to show how far he’d run, and he couldn’t see the sky to tell how long it had been since he’d fallen asleep.

_ They’ll find me.  _ _ Thor'll _ _ see  _ _ m’gone _ _ . He’ll look. Or maybe he won’t... what if he leaves me.  _ _ S’too _ _ much...  _ _ m’too _ _ much.  _ _ S'okay _ _ , Thor,  _ _ s’fine _ _ . Go without me.  _ _ Nothin _ _ ’ but trouble. _

MINE.

Steve heard that voice again powerful and inaudible, yet excruciatingly loud and very, very real. He laughed at himself for considering it, but checked all the same – his lips were moving, forming the words. He froze, horrified. The spell really had him tight. It was shameful. Steve bit his lip tightly enough to draw blood and held back a dry sob. Pathetic.

_ I have you. _

After all this... after driving himself to this place... Steve huddled up as tightly as possible, fighting for every moment of rational thought that he could. After everything, Thor hadn’t ever wavered. Hadn’t given up. Steve had done this to himself. He’d tried to bury everything, save it for later, spare anyone the trouble, and it had ended like this; in short, disastrous. This was  it, this was the end. The cold would consume him. He was too weak to move, too hurt to walk, too cold to stay awake much longer. It ended like this.

The memory of Thor’s bright smile and strong embrace were enough. Steve forced everything else from his mind and just thought about that. He’d have liked to enjoy one last kiss... maybe even a confession or two.

_ If I survive this, I’ll tell him. And I’ll listen, too. I’ll be honest. We’ll have a proper conversation. I’ll let him in, and I won’t hide anything. _

Steve shut his eyes and blocked out the cold, firmly replacing it with Thor’s warmth. His warm eye, warm voice, warm touch, warm promises...

_ HELP ME. _

_ I have you. _

\--

Steve lost consciousness a few minutes later, Thor’s voice softly roaming his head and filling every space. Soon, his body was too cold to feel anything, so his mind easily imagined Thor’s hands all over him. He drifted in and out, lips forming words he wouldn’t remember when he awoke. It was so black, and he felt so heavy... yet weightless all at once. He couldn’t feel the hard ground under his side, nor the layers of snow pushing him into it from above. He was floating in darkness.

_ S’nice _ _ out... _ Steve thought, blinking his eyes open for a moment. There was nothing so see but black and a few flickers of white when a snowflake came close enough. It looked like space, like twinkling stars shimmering all around him. If he imagined hard  enough he could just about make out  Asgard’s golden spires... Maybe if he thought hard  enough he could picture Thor as well. Could he bring the god to him if he willed it? He reached out his hand, ready for Mjolnir to sweep him away and carry him to safety. How happy he’d be if Thor swooped down, effortlessly picked him up as if he were a child instead of a two-hundred-plus-pound grown man.

He thought he saw a shimmer of something in the distance, a shape that was oddly... human. The flutter of a cape and long hair... Steve reached out his hand, shook violently in fear, opened his mouth, but he couldn’t think of anything to say, and wouldn’t have been able to say them anyway. He was vulnerable, helpless. The person was approaching, familiar, but... wrong. Those shoulders were suddenly much broader, and very close. Dark hair revealed itself blonde as the layers of storm lessened and the man drew nearer.

“Still alive...” a deep voice deafened him, familiar but too cold. Something pressed under his jaw, held for a long time, then pulled back. “Still alive.”

Steve tried to force his eyes open wider, get a better look. He knew Thor’s shoulder anywhere, knew his face, his eyes, his touch... The resemblance was enough. Thor was here, standing over his body. Nothing else mattered. He could rest now. Help had come. He’d asked, and it had come. The shaking eased. The snow swept off his body in a sudden gust, leaving him exposed. Whatever part of him that was still clinging to consciousness felt the collective scream every part of his body let loose as it was moved, lifted off the ground. But the sensation was distant, muted. It was enough to tip him over the edge, however, and he allowed himself to be totally swallowed by black. The Captain could no longer hurt him. Thor was here.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New artwork added to the last chapter of my previous fic ^^ I thought it fit better there.
> 
> Thanks for all the comments, as always! They are very fun to read XD I always sit there grinning like an idiot.

When Steve awoke, he couldn’t move. He tried, immediately shifting his arms and legs the second his senses came online. They barely moved. A cough ripped from his throat, clutching his chest like barbed wire. Blankets shifted against his skin. The bed underneath him was hard, and he was soaked with sweat regardless of  the deep cold penetrating his bones and  how hard he was shaking.

Brooklyn. He was in Brooklyn, holed up in his shitty apartment with Bucky, stricken with another winter illness. It had been killing him, but he’d won again. He was awake, the worst was behind him, but it would take a while for the weakness to pass. Another cough, worse than  before , jolted his body ruthlessly. Bucky would be here soon, speaking soft words of comfort and relief, would offer him something to drink. Water, maybe. Then some hot tea. The steam would help clear his head...

There was nothing , no-one .

“B-Buck?” Steve coughed. “B-Buck,  ya there?  M’okay ... wouldn’t kick the b-bucket that easy...”

He coughed again, and this time it was so brutal he folded in half, his stomach contracted for a whole minute as he hacked and spluttered. When it was over, he collapsed back, bouncing his head off the pillow.  Something didn’t feel right; a breeze across his face, a strong heartbeat against his side, and a fire crackling  somewhere to his right.  His eyes flew open as he gasped for breath, lungs scraping so badly he licked his lips with the fear of finding blood. There was none, and his tongue was dry.

No Brooklyn, just forest. The sun was out, struggling to pierce thick foliage, but bright and clear. Steve struggled to get his limbs to obey, but they blatantly refused to do anything but shake. Was he restrained? Panic stole away his breath and he sat up  as far as he could  with a deep moan, folding upward just far enough to take in a bit of his surroundings. His vision was remarkably clear, showing a mass of blankets that he presumed hid his body. A warm amber light flickered against one side, and a comforting pressure supported him at the other.

“Th-Thor?” Steve whispered desperately, his shoulders falling heavily back against the mat underneath him. He turned his head, straining his aching neck with hopefulness . No Thor, just a huge grey flank covered in soft grey fur, rising and falling in strong gusts. It shifted against him, and Petal’s soft brown eyes stared at him, the horse’s velvety nose nuzzling his ear, whiskers tickling sensitive skin. Steve shivered and forced his head to the other side, wondering what else he would find apart from a crackling fire.

Loki, he did not expect.

Steve jumped, and the demi-god settled beside him like a cat, quietly folding his legs and resting his palms on his knees. He stared down at the Captain with indifference. Steve tried to sit again .

“I really wouldn’t  do  that if I were you,” the demi-god regarded him with disappointment, but there was some relief there. Steve assumed he was seeing things.  The Captain didn’t pause long, resuming his struggled to move, accomplish  _ something. _ It was futile: his hands were tucked under his armpits and the blankets wrapped tightly around him. He was stuck.

Loki sighed. “If you must have it your way, fine.” and he reached forward. Steve flinched, going very still and tensing all the muscles in his body no matter how much it hurt. Loki rolled his eyes and grabbed a handful of blankets, yanking him sitting and unwrapping enough that Steve could squirm free and untangle himself. Immediately, he tucked himself back under them and collapsed against Petal’s warm flank, trembling. Residual cold and weakness still clung to his body, a reminder.

“Where’s Thor?” he croaked. From what he could see, the little camp was empty apart from the horses. No Thor, no Sif, no Warriors Three.

Loki snorted. “Ungrateful. I save your life, and you make demands of me? How many times have I saved your life now, Captain? And what have you given me for it? Nothing, not even a thank-you.”

“Did you really do it for me?” Steve growled, clutching the blankets no matter how badly it hurt his raw and tender hands. “F-Forgive m-me if I d -d on’t kneel at your f-feet and shower you with g-gratitude, Your H -H ighness.”

Loki growled back, rising up on his knees and leaning forward. He wrapped his fingers around Steve’s neck and pushed him against Petal, eyes dark and his voice threatening. “Believe it or not,  _ Captain, _ I have care for others beyond myself. You are correct: I have no personal attachment to you, but I  am  not  so  black and white. Surely you can see the grey, you , the perfect soldier... You, who sees the best in everyone? If you can believe a monster like me can love, then believe that I love my brother, and he loves you. So here you are, alive.”

Steve shuddered, staring unblinkingly into Loki’s eyes. There was pain there. Memories flashed across his sluggish brain, memories of what Thor had told him of their past... Thor truly loved his brother, and Loki  _ must _ love him back, because he’d stepped in on  Sakaar , saved him. Saved them both. Steve owed the god his life, or at least a thank-you. His mama had taught him better manners than this.

He swallowed, and the demi-god released him, thrusting a flask into his hand. Steve  fumbled and  dropped it, his fingers struggling to bend. Clumsily, he leaned forward and retrieved it, fumbling with the cap as Loki watched. Finally, the god rolled his eyes and snatched the container, unscrewing the top and handing it back a little more carefully. “Th-thanks,” Steve murmured, and took a sip. The liquid warmed his chest and eased his shaking, wetting his lips and throat.

Loki sat back heavily, suddenly looking very tired, defeated. “Thor is gone. So are the others.”

Steve nearly dropped the flask, coughing on his mouthful of liquor. “G-gone?”

“Gone,” Loki growled. “We looked for you. He was desperate, screaming  your name . He lit up the sky and batted away the storm with his own. It  served as a beacon. Not long later, Odin’s forces swarmed us from one side, and those scavengers from the other. The scavengers were slaughtering Odin’s men, were beating the others, too. Thor offered himself for them. They took him. Odin has Sif and the other three. I only barely managed to slip away. Thor’s hammer shook after they took him, pointed me in the right direction. So I looked for you. I didn’t believe you would have survived, but Thor would have wanted me to look.”

Steve gripped his flask with both hands, squeezing it tight enough to dent Earth metal. “Th-thanks,” he whispered again. “Th-Thor... I thought I s -s aw him...”

“You were delirious,” Loki explained quickly. “I doubted you would let me close as myself.”

Steve nodded with a jerking motion. The god of mischief was  probably  right. “How long?” he asked, not particularly keen on actually knowing.

“Two days,” Loki replied, standing up and quickly turning his back. “I doubted you would live.  Clearly I was wrong. I’m glad.” The last part was whispered, but Steve’s enhanced hearing picked it up. He tried not to think about it too much, returning to his drink. It was then that he noticed his legs; they were bent, both of them, the left one less so than the right, but even so... Steve trembled and put some effort into moving it. His knee felt weak and floppy, screaming with pain and effort, but it moved. He could move it!

“It was foolish not to say anything.” Loki was back, appearing at his side with food in his hands. He dropped it unceremoniously into Steve’s lap. The Captain gaped, searching for the right question. Loki elaborated with a scolding glare. “About not sleeping. You endangered yourself needlessly, and therefore the group.”

“I-I didn’t think that would h-happen,” Steve stammered.

“Of course not,” Loki sneered. “But it did. Though I doubt it would have been worth a damn thing if you’d be e n well-rested and present for the fight. It would have done little good. Perhaps it’s for the best you missed it.”

There was that  spark of relief again. Steve let go of his flask to pick up some bread. He was terribly hungry, and once he started it was hard to go slow. “You need m-me...” he mumbled, doubting his discernments as he voiced them . “You n-need me for s-something.”

Loki’s jaw flexed as he watched. Then he turned and walked to the fire, standing beside it and observing with hands clasped behind his back. “Observant, Captain. You are partially correct.” Steve left a long gap of silence, inviting the god to continue. He did. “Thor’s hammer. It’s out there and has no moved since he set it down . If Thor has not called it, then he may be unable. That leaves you as the only one capable of lifting it. It would be undoubtably useful...”

Steve nearly denied that he could lift the hammer, mocked the god for  suggestiong , but remembered back on Sakaar, where he’d fought with it and Loki had seen.  So he shut his mouth and nodded. It was a sobering thought, Thor’s hammer sitting alone in a snowy wasteland, probably buried by now. It had sat there for two days, unmoving...

“Call it,” Loki ordered more than suggested. “ Holding i t will give you strength. We must make haste. The earthquakes are too close together, and much too strong. The planet will not hold out much longer, and I fear what those people may have done to my brother.”

Loki probably didn’t mean to be that honest, given all his efforts to appear uncaring and self-motivated. Steve smiled, but it didn’t last long. He frowned. “My leg... I’m not sure I can walk-”

“You can, and you will,” Loki replied. “Even if you cannot, we will be riding to the building.  You have Mjolnir, and I found you a walking stick if necessary .”

Steve swallowed, looking at his hand. It had been a while since he’d lifted the hammer... Doubt crawled up the back of his neck.  _ After all this time swallowing my fears, could I still be worthy? All I’ve been doing since  _ _ Sakaar _ _ is pushing everything down, selfishly keeping everything to myself. _

“Call it,” Loki ordered again. “Captain, you must.” There was that fear bleeding into his tone.

Fear for Thor. Steve set his jaw and lifted his hand, asking for Mjolnir. He could feel its presence a long way off, hear its power calling out for a n answer . It latched onto Steve and there was an instant surge of warmth and power that followed. Mjolnir was coming. Steve nearly couldn’t breathe, leaning forward with anticipation. He tucked his good leg under him and knelt up, reaching out. A choked laugh pushed out of his mouth as the hammer burst through the trees and smacked perfectly into his palm. Immediately, the lingering shiver vaporized, and he felt in control again, his body obeying his commands and stabilizing .

“Two days’ rest has done you good, Captain,” Loki noted, standing a little taller, maybe even  _ proud... _ He at least seemed happy, but it was hardy to tell. There was determination there for certain, and the tail-end of jealousy – Steve glanced at Mjolnir. Loki handed him his shield and sword by their straps, and pointed to his boots and armor sitting by the fire.

Steve  nodded, chin pushed forward. No more rest. Lives were at stake.

“First we should test your leg,” Loki wise suggested, holding out his hand.

Steve  was reluctant to let go of Mjolnir for even a second, but he had to.  H e shed his blankets and took  the hand , pushing his good leg under himself. His injured one shook but held, and he dared not take a step. In his hesitation, Loki yanked an arm across slender shoulders, and Steve hissed in surprise. It was strange, being so close to someone who had once tried to enslave Earth and wouldn’t have minded how many people died in the process.  Steve had no choice but to lean on the man who had mentally enslaved Clint Barton and nearly blasted an old man with a magic scepter. Life had a funny way of keeping you on your toes..

The god took him in a slow circle around the fire before setting him back on the mat. Steve’ s leg was holding, but he wouldn’t have managed to walk without the help.  Mjolnir’s strength and a couple days of undisturbed healing wouldn’t be enough. 

“Not ideal, but we can work with it,” Loki mused. “Get dressed. We can discuss the plan.”

“You have one?” Steve pulled on his boots with a wince.

“Of course. I did not spend the past two days idle.”

Steve nodded mutely , pulling on his chest plate and tightening the buckles. His fingers were pink and covered in healing abrasions, but they had already improved since waking up. Holding Mjolnir had warmed him up, and now that the serum didn’t have to fight hypothermia, it could work on healing his injuries. He noticed a clean bandage wrapped around his torn pants, covering and supporting his injured knee. Loki must have done that. Steve was fairly certain he’d ripped his leg wide open during his impromptu midnight run.

“The two of us may not be enough, and that is not a risk I wish to take,” Loki started, standing over him as the Captain pulled on his gloves and strapped on his bracers. The god explained his plan while Steve harnessed his weapons to his back. It was a good plan. Steve nodded firmly.

“Let’s do it.”

“One last thing,” Loki lifted a hand and halted him as he began to rise. The god of mischief turned on his heel and walked over to his belongings, picking up a spear and carrying it back. He offered it to Steve. It looked much like those Asgardian guards carried... “It will make a better walking stick than a branch.”

Steve took the weapon and pushed it into the ground, hauling himself standing. “Thank you.”

“Thank me when this is over,” Loki retorted. “And properly.”

Steve restrained himself from grinning, giving the god a firm salute. He couldn’t help it; though the situation was growing increasingly dire, he’d found an unlikely ally.  _ Not even that unlikely... He already told me he’s doing it for Thor. That’s not surprising. He might even be doing it for the Tesseract, too. That’s entirely plausible. I guess we’ll see how things go. _

So long as they got Thor out, he didn’t mind much if Loki escaped with the Tesseract again. That bridge could be crossed when reached.

\--

Loki saddled Petal for him, but stood back and let him climb into the saddle himself.  It was a struggle, but Steve managed with arm strength alone. The god handed up the spear, and Steve strapped it to the saddle, calling Mjolnir to his palm with his other hand. Loki mounted his own horse, and together they set off toward the building.

Steve definitely didn’t feel right, but he did feel better. Loki was right: two days of rest after many sleepless nights made him feel like a new man. He felt focused,  his body quicker,  and the world looked sharper.  _ Loki was right. I endangered the whole group by not telling anyone. Actually, I should have spoken up long before we left on this mission. _ His nightmares had been getting worse probably a whole month ago, and he hadn’t said a word.

He could clearly remember his night terror, and a few scattered moments after waking up in the middle of the storm. Most of all, he remembered his promises. Steve set his jaw and clutched Mjolnir tightly. The nightmares were still lurking, but now that he was well-rested and Thor needed him, it was easy to keep them at bay. Mjolnir’s pulse helped, strengthening his body. Since picking it up, the itch in his scraped hands and feet, and in his injured knee had only worsened. He was healing. By the time they reached the building and Loki cloaked them, Steve could actually stand up and take a few steps without any support at all.

“Are you ready?” Loki asked, dismounting

Steve nodded, and almost immediately his body shimmered with golden light. He looked down at himself as Mjolnir became a tool box, his armor a pair of blue coveralls, and his pale peachy skin a smooth dark grey. The spear in his hand transformed into a normal-looking wooden stick. Loki approached the door, knocking on it sharply. The heavy slab pushed open a crack and out peered a head. Without missing a beat, the god ripped the body into the open and dispatched of it, dropping it in a snow bank. Another flash of gold and the evidence was concealed. Steve could only assume that Loki was hiding their actions from sight too, as well Petal who would be left waiting by the door.

“I will remove the illusion when I return,” Loki explained. “You remember the plan?”

“Couldn’t forget it if I tried,” Steve tapped his head with a strange paw-like hand.

“Then good luck,” Loki actually nodded at him, and Steve nodded back.

“You too.”

“I am a god. I don’t need your sentiment.” Loki mounted and turned abruptly, kicking his horse into a gallop without pause.

Steve smiled to himself and shook his head, turning and sliding through the crack in the door. He closed it behind him with a soft crunch, the battle horn to signify the start of this marvelous plan.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you as always for all you comments <3 I sit through and read them all regularly, and they make me very happy.
> 
> Please enjoy!

It would take Loki a long time to  reach the camp  then return, which was good: it would take Steve a long time to get anywhere himself. There had to be something better than a damn stick.  _ I can’t stand being slow. And to think I spent most of my life a ninety-pound asthmatic who couldn’t run more than a few steps at a time every thirty minutes... _ If it were a simple matter of pain, he’d have already overcome that, but his leg was physically too weak to hold him for more than a few steps without need for some kind of support to take the weight off.

At least his disguise was flawless. Steve limped slowly through frighteningly empty hallways, taking his time no matter how badly he itched to  _ move. _ He had to pace himself, or he’d collapse before he got to Thor.

_ Okay. Loki said there’s a security room or something on the first floor. I can  _ _ locate _ _ Thor, explore a little, get my bearings, then hang tight. I’ll have plenty of time to come up with my own extraction plan while I wait for Loki. _ Steve limped along at a snail’s pace, stopping only when he heard footsteps: a group of maybe six. A patrol? The Captain stopped, deciding it would be unwise to be limping so obviously when there was company around.  _ I don’t know the culture of this species. They might not even have medical facilities here.  _ Now that was a good idea, check for medical facilities. Loki had mentioned the engineering skill of this people, so perhaps he could find something to use as a brace, just in case it came down to running. He couldn’t depend on Thor to carry him.

Just like Hydra and the 107 th , all over again. Steve smiled to himself and stood still, trying to hold his walking stick casually while pretending to rummage through his toolbox as if he’d forgotten something. Half a dozen creatures dressed in grey jumpsuits marched past him, and paid him no regard. When they were gone, Steve got to walking again.

There were barely any signs, and when he happened across one it was written in a language he didn’t understand and couldn’t begin to interpret. At least there were windows here and there, and Steve peered into the rooms they revealed. After an hour of walking, his forehead was damp with sweat and his legs was too sore to  bend . He needed a rest, just a short one. Steve did his best not to look suspicious, trying to remember what Peggy and Natasha and Clint had all taught him about espionage and stealth and blending in.  _ Not my strong suit, but then again, neither is backing down from a challenge.  _ Steve smiled to himself in triumph as he peered into the small window in the next door he happened upon. Inside was a cafeteria of sorts, te e ming with the same creatures he was cloaked as. They were dressed in a variety of uniforms, from those grey jumpsuits to the blue coveralls Steve was currently wearing. The only correlation between everyone inside was that they were clean ; responsibility within the facility didn’t seem to matter.

Steve stepped quietly inside, limping to the nearest seating area and collapsing before anyone saw him. It felt too damn good to be off his feet, even if the rest of him was pulsing with energy and the desire to  use his muscles . The Captain set  toolbox- Mjolni r on the floor and leaned his walking stick against the table, scouring the room for any clues about the species he was trying to imitate. Loki hadn’t been able to give him much information, only that they seemed detached from each other, almost emotionless. Strange... they seemed quite friendly to Steve, the way they were clustered in groups and chatting in a soft, warbling language that sounded like a compilation of sounds contented cats made.

They were behaving similarly to humans, exchanging friendly pats and nudges as they ate and drank together. Steve licked his lips, but didn’t dare touch the unfamiliar food available in the middle of the table for anyone to take. He did pour himself some water, though, glad that these creatures had similar needs to most Earth animals. As he wet his throat, he watched a small group walk past from the corner of his eye. Loki was right, they looked strong and agile, especially in the legs. There was hidden power in those lean muscles, and a familiar fluidity in the way they moved. Steve fought not to stare.

The small group chatted all the way to the door, but the minute they stepped through, a switch was flipped. They fell silent immediately, conversation dying away and all sounds of merriment just... gone. Steve turned and watched them walk away, watched them fall into step and march purposefully away. Okay, Loki was right again.

_ Do they come here to relax then? If so, that would take incredible mental control to switch off their emotions like that, or even just mask them. Why?  _ Steve finished his water, remembering all the times he’d pushed down his emotions, or anything else for that matter. Usually, he was fighting. Innerved, Steve made sure no-one was watching and stood up, picking up Mjolnir and leaning into his walking stick. The short rest would get him a bit farther. If only he had a map, and he wouldn’t have to do so much wandering...  _ We make  _ _ d _ _ o _ _ with what we have. Could be worse. I’ve worked harder missions. _

Steve turned a corner and spotted a large door. He smiled and stopped himself from rushing over, reaching for what looked like a scanner. Loki’s illusion fooled it, and the doors slid open to let him pass, closing behind him with a gentle swish. It was  loud  enough to alert the three security guards sat at long, curved tables covered in monitors. They stood up and looked at him with unblinking eyes and demanding expressions, speaking to him in words he couldn’t understand. It was clear he wasn’t supposed to be here, the way they were looking at his uniform. Steve lifted his toolbox as they padded closer and tried to circle him, repeating the same few phrases over and over again, louder and louder. The Captain flicked his eyes between them, carefully setting down his walking stick as they continued to approach. As he slid back his injured leg and leaned all his weight forward, he spotted a shape on the monitor over the middle guard’s shoulder.

To his left, a guard hissed and lunged. Steve pivoted with lightning speed and cracked him under the chin with the toolbox. One hit was all it took. The other two didn’t pause, didn’t even seem surprise that their companion had been taken down that easily.  _ Repressed emotions. _ Steve set his jaw a nd block ed a clawed hand that swept toward him. The claws cracked on Mjolnir’s unearthly metal , but the creature didn’t even flinch, pulling a blade from his belt and stabbing out. The blade was strikingly familiar, curved and serrated. Steve’s leg seared with the pain of memory. Whoever these creatures were, they  _ were _ the scavengers – something Loki had gotten wrong.

Steve blocked the blade with Mjolnir, keeping all his motion above the waist, and his weight on his right leg. At least with this super-powerful toolbox he had some shock factor. It took three times longer to fell the guards than Healthy-Steve could have, but  ultimately he won, and paid no price for it. That was all that mattered. The Captain caught his breath in moment s , exchanging Mjolnir for his walking stick. It took a bit of maneuvering, but he managed to get all three bodies tucked away under the tables. A final check to make sure they weren’t visible from the door, and he nodded to himself , satisfied. Off came one of the guard’s jackets, slipping comfortably over his coveralls.

“That wasn’t too bad...” Steve leaned his walking stick against the desk and sat down in the nearest chair. It was comfortable, and on wheels. Perfect. The Captain looked up at the rows of screens filing the room and the small control panel on one end of the room. He ignored that for the moment and focused on the monitors,  searching for the one that had caught his eye a few minutes earlier.

There. Steve grabbed the counter and rolled himself around to the row in front, pulling himself along it with his hands until the  monitor he wanted was directly in front of him. The image was remarkably clear for a security camera. Steve could make out a dark room, a wall, a body cuffed to it. The screens were in color, but even in black-and-white Steve would have recognized Thor’s long locks and heavy cape draped over strong shoulders. The whole room wasn’t visible, but it looked small and featureless, clear glass doors sealing the prisoner inside. Steve couldn’t tell if Thor was asleep or unconscious, but he was sagged forward, chin to his chest, motionless. A small blue light flickered on his temple, and  old battle  cuts littered his face and bare arms, but other than that he looked normal and unharmed.

The screen was too small to see more detail than that. Steve still stared at it for a long time, memorizing every pixel while he waited for Thor to move, twitch, anything. All he could see was a faint rise and fall of his head as the god’s chest expanded and contracted  what his armor would allow. Steve grit his teeth and reached behind him without thinking. The toolbox flew into his hand, and though its handle appeared  metalic and simple, he could feel the ancient leather against his palm. He searched, focusing on his connection with Mjolnir. It sang back, reminding him of its power and weight with each pulse it nudged up Steve’s arm. There was something distinctly lacking, or rather, much weaker.

Usually, he could feel Thor’s consciousness through the hammer, to put it simply. In the pa s t t hey’d been able to share thoughts, using Mjolnir as a bridge. Steve had called for the hammer without thinking when the avalanche had trapped him, and Thor’s words in his head had suddenly pierced the anxiety attack starting to drag him down. Mjolnir was speaking to its other wielder now , sending out a second pulse. There was nothing on the receiving end. Thor was unconscious, then.  _ Which means they did something to him. Something pretty serious, if he’d been unconscious since he gave himself up, two going on three days ago. _

It was probably down to that little blue glow on Thor’s temple. Steve squeezed Mjolnir and pressed his teeth together, frustrated that he had to stay here and wait instead of rush down there immediately. What if Thor was dying? What if he was in pain, suffering?  _ Why do I keep having to sneak through enemy territory to rescue my friends from dark rooms?  _ At least Thor was alive. Why spare him now, though? If these creatures were the same as those scavengers who had attacked an d injured Thor a few days prior, and Steve not too long after?  _ Are there different groups, maybe? Perhaps some live out there and attack travelers for food and supplies, and the others live here. Or maybe he offered them something. _ _ That or they found something to take... _

Steve reluctantly set Mjolnir on the floor out of the way and rolled his desk chair along the counter, searching each and every screen for as much information as he could find. To his surprise, he saw lots of monitors displaying other cells just like Thor’s. Some were empty, but others held prisoners similarly cuffed to one wall, a pulsing blue light on their temples. A guard was making rounds; Steve saw him enter a cell with some sort of hand-held computer, scanning it up and down the body dangling inert in front of him. Then, the Captain watched in horror as the guard reached above frame and dragged down a black cable, connecting it to the blue circle. Almost immediately, the cable started to glow faintly white. Steve watched unblinking as the cable glowed dimmer, and dimmer, and dimmer, until there was nothing. It only took a few minutes. The guard removed the cable and took some readings with his scanner, then walked out. Seconds later, two more guards walked in and released the cuff. The body fell forward lifelessly, the blue glow flickering into nothing.

Steve sat back in his chair and pushed at his forehead, staring helplessly at all the monitors in front of him. There was nothing he could do. He had stay here, wait for Loki.  _ Bastard had better get here before they get to Thor, or to hell with the plan.  _ Steve watched the guard appear in the next cell on the monitors, and tore his eyes away. If the guard continued in order, Thor would be one of the last he reached. How long would it take him to get down there? How many minutes? And what part of the building was this? Steve scanned the monitors again, and picked up a faint outline just beyond one of the transparent cell doors – a symbol of some kind. The Captain committed it to memory.

Now would be a great time to have some of Tony’s holographic programs at his disposal. Steve did his best to piece together a map in his head from the images on the monitor. Each cell gave him a glimpse into the corridor outside the see-through door. It would be enough.

Steve did what he could to make it as easy as possible to find his way to Thor, finally moving on to the next part of the plan: retrieving the Tesseract. He rolled down to the other end of the counter and spotted the cube right away. Even though he couldn’t see its shape very well, he knew that glow all too well. The machine was just as Loki described, a maze of black cables filling what of the enormous room the monitor showed, workers swarming like bees around it. There wasn’t any new information to be discovered there.

With a bit of hunting, Steve found a few more rooms of interest: one, some kind of workshop. He spotted something that looked vaguely like an infirmary, but from what he could see it was very basic. A workshop on the other hand, full of a variety of parts and mechanisms all being tinkered with across huge tables, now there he could find something of use. He could just see Tony in there, discovering new alien technologies, criticizing their circuitry or something along those lines. Maybe taking a few ideas home to tinker with. Steve could have really used his help. Tony probably could have built him a brace out of popsicle sticks and mis-matched screws. Steve smiled at the thought. He really needed to have a serious talk with the inventor.  _ I think I need to have a serious talk with everyone when I get back. _

Focus. Steve could think about what he was going to say to his team when he was traveling back through space with Thor safely at his side. And to accomplish that, he needed to fill in the gaps in Loki’s plan. Steve called Mjolnir back to his hand, placing it in his lap and patting the smooth faces absent-mindedly but always keeping contact. The ancient Asgardian weapon was boosting his super-healing; Steve decided it would be wise to use his waiting time wisely. Right now, every minute of rest could make the difference.

_ Alright. Loki shows up, breaks in, sets off the alarms. I can see a pretty long way out from the monitor showing the main entrance. The second I see  _ _ him, _ _ I head down to the workshop while Loki’s illusion is in-tact. I give myself max five minutes to find something useful for my leg, otherwise I scram and go get Thor. Depending on what I find in the shop, that could take me up to twenty minutes to get down there. Loki said there’s an elevator, but that’s still a lot of walking, and I can’t exactly use Mjolnir to fly through the hallways. There’s just not enough space. _ Steve found a second chair and propped his healing leg up onto it, staring at it as if his knee would speak and give him some advice .

Thor’s hammer hummed in his hand like a contented cat, warming his body and comforting him. Steve smiled and glanced up at his friend on the monitors as he felt a slight tug on Mjolnir. The handle vibrated for a small second in his hand, and Steve  _ felt _ Thor’s confidence surge through. It wasn’t as strong as usual, but it was pure and purposeful. He listened closely, playing with the connection a little so Thor knew he was there. No clear voice spoke in his head this time, but he did feel a soft flicker of emotion, a ripple of clouded thoughts all trying to coalesce into a solid idea. Steve got the picture. He could feel fear and relief, as  well as confusion.

_ I’m here, Thor. I’m okay. We’re  _ _ gonna _ _ get you out. Hang tight, I’ll  _ _ be  _ _ down right away. Just need my signal. _

Worry, more confusion. More fear. Steve did his best to guess what was causing each one of Thor’s muddled emotions and addressed them. _I promise I’m okay. Loki helped. He’s coming to help too. _

Relief, and what felt like a sigh literally travel ed up Steve’s arm. Then something very, very warm, almost... almost like a hug. But... bigger. Softer, yet more firm. Something pure and passionate and intimate.

_ Yeah, I’ll give Loki your love, _ Steve guess ed . The sentiment changed, emotions swishing together as they morphed, almost as if Thor had shaken his head... Steve sat in curious silence, holding his breath as the warmth retracted, then flooded him again. It was a little different this time, stronger to say the least. A word bobbed to the front of his brain, but he shook it away. Less than a second later , urgent agreement was swamping him – that was it! That’s what Thor had been trying to say.

Steve sat awestruck in his rolling chair, staring blankly at the toolbox in his lap as if it could speak and clarify that Thor had just...  _ emoted _ that... Steve didn’t speak, and Thor pushed the warmth through to him again. Movement caught his eye, and the Captain looked up, watching with widening eyes as Thor’s limp body shifted the tiniest fraction. A bicep leapt, and his breath hitched irregularly. The feeling pushed harder, more adamant. Steve couldn’t ignore it, couldn’t even offer up any words to reply with. He was scared, and it must have drifted through their connection because Thor eased back, apologetic but still adamant and direct. The emotion didn’t lose flavor.

Steve pushed back, finally. He knew why he was afraid of what Thor was trying to give him, and was asking of him in return by offering it. It was a lot. Too much, Steve thought for a moment until he remembered that Thor had been willing to give him everything from the beginning. And after all their time spent together, after all this time stubbornly refusing help, Thor was still willing to give him something so pure and perfect. So Steve responded with hesitance, steadily reaching out for Thor’s gift and drawing it closer. It felt good. He gave the prince curiosity, pride, and deep happiness. He could practically see Thor’s glowing smile with the full rush that enveloped him. Finally, Steve gave the feeling back, his own still woven with fear.

_ I love you.  _ Three simple words got through. Maybe Thor hadn’t thought them at all and they’d just formed out of the emotions the demi-god was pulsing through their connection. Steve clutched Mjolnir tightly, squeezing the handle as if it were Thor himself.

_ “I love my brother, and he loves you, so here you are, alive.” _ Loki had said that to him just this morning, but he’d barely noticed. Thor had a lot of love to give. He was big in  body and heart, caring and considerate and just so damn  _ good. _ This love was different. This love was not the love he had for his brother. Steve sat in his  chair, glad he was sitting down as his legs trembled like he was sixteen again. Without Loki’s illusion he’d probably be glowing scarlet all over his body by now.

_ I love you too, _ Steve thought back, forming those exactly words in his head and handing them over. Thor’s contentment was flavorful and bright, and worth everything.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so glad your guys enjoyed last chapter! I was really worried about how it turned out, but I was overjoyed to hear the feedback! I hope this chapter is enjoyable as well <3

Through the snow came Loki. Steve spotted a small blur on the monitor, a smudge of green crawling between the white ground and grey sky. Thor was still in his cell, untouched. The guard hadn’t reached him yet, was still several cells away. There was some time.

Steve’s leg had improved these last few hours seated in a comfortable chair, drawing power from Mjolnir. He stood up slowly, transferring his weight cautiously until it was evenly spread. His leg trembled, and his limp was still deep-set, but he could walk. Steve left toolbox-Mjolnir on the floor for a moment, shrugging out of his borrowed guard’s uniform and stuffing it with the body he’d stolen it from. Everything was set. It was time to go. Steve glanced at the control panel pulsing gently as switches and buttons blinked faintly. He strode lopsidedly over and clasped the edge. Loki had a plan, but he could at least help by welcoming the god with an open door.  _ Your palace awaits you, highness, _ Steve smirked and hovered over a couple of buttons. The language written all over the complicated panel was indecipherable, but a few symbols look promising. Steve flipped a heavy rocker switch with a drawing that looked an awful lot like a door and stared over his shoulder at the monitors. He could just see the edge of the door swinging into view of the camera position ed above it.

_ It’s down to you, Loki, _ Steve ignored the perplexing nature of what he was about to do : trust the god of mischief to uphold his end of the deal . This could come back to bite him in the ass. It was too late to back out anyhow. Steve scooped up Mjolnir and clasped his walking stick from where he’d rested it, glancing at the monitors one last time. Behind Loki he could see a faint cloud of snow as Odin’s forces chased him. At the god’s side were four distinct shapes: Sif and the Warriors Three. Satisfied, Steve hurried for the exit as fast as he was able and slipped from the surveillance room.

No-one was around to see him sneak out, but by the time he rounded the corner in search of the elevator, two half-dozen squadrons were running down the corridor toward him, dressed in familiar tight outfits made of furs that covered every inch of skin, carrying deadly curved weapons at their sides. As usual, they ignored him and carried on, so Steve did too. Several more scores of scavengers raced by before he reached the elevator, and he was all too happy to hurry inside and watch the doors slide shut.

Memorized symbols he’d spotted while scouring the monitors popped into his head as Steve stared at the panel of buttons before him. There, that was the floor where he should find the workshop. The Captain pressed it and stepped back, poised. When the doors opened, he was greeted by nothing more than a small group of workers looking to trade places with him. Steve walked as smoothly as he could into the hallways, settling back into his limp once he heard the ding of the elevator doors closing.

Sometimes Steve forgot some of his lesser-used abilities. His perfect memory was serving him well, guiding him around corners he recognized from the surveillance room. Very few people came and went, and Steve was able to hide his limp for the duration he was within view of them. Luckily, the workshop was not far from the elevator, and he easily swept inside as an engineer was leaving.

_ Five minutes. _ Steve got counting.

It was a deceptively large room. Steve wished he could have stayed an explored a bit, but there was no time to admire what these creatures were building. Luckily, the machine they were making had many moving parts, and compartments of varying sizes, so there was plenty of variety. Nobody paid him any attention as he walked as casually as possible along long, wide tables scattered with familiar yet distinctly different machinery. Tony made fun of him for being old-fashioned and not understanding technology, but Steve was a fast learner. Yes, there was a lot for him to catch up on and sometimes it left him in the dust, but he had a natural fascination for it that always allowed him to catch up on way or another. Serum or not, he would never be the genius Stark was, or Banner for that matter, but he knew enough to get by. Some quick-thinking and observational aptitudes helped. The Captain spotted something promising as he started counting down into the fourth minute.

Steve set down his toolbox-Mjolnir and walking stick on the floor, nudging into the group of mechanics working on nearby components. Luckily, the piece he wanted wasn’t being used, so he grabbed it and inspected it thoughtfully as he’d seen Tony do a few times, pretending to diagnose it for a problem.  _ Maybe you should give me a crash course on basic robotics when this is over,  _ Steve thought, picked up the nearest screwdriver lying on the workspace and fiddling with bolts securing the joints in place.  _ Actually, I’ll take a crash course on anything you can teach me. If you could tolerate teaching modern mechanics to a centenarian...  _ _ C _ _ ould be fun. _

Tony had his flaws but he was a good friend. He’d been trying so hard to help and break through to the Captain before all this. Steve forced back a smile, trying to mimic his robotically emotionless companions; he was finding it a lot harder than anticipated.

As subtly as he was able, Steve set the component on his tool box and straightened, fiddling aimlessly with a few other items strewn about the surface before drawing back and working his way back to the door. For the small detour, it was worth it. Steve tucked himself in the elevator, selected the  next floor down, and examined what he’d stolen.

It looked like a piece of a mechanical arm, meant to house electrical components inside a moveable shell so the joints could move. Without any junk inside, it would fit perfectly around his leg. A few seconds later, the elevator doors slid open, and Steve moved as fast as he could toward what passed for a med-bay in this place. All he needed was a towel, and he found a shelf of neatly rolled ones stacked by the door. The bay was empty as he snuck inside and snatched a towel, surprised at how soft is was.

His makeshift brace was too clunky to be comfortable. Steve hopped up on the nearest bed, turned, and carefully extended his leg  across the mattress  with a wince. He wrapped the towel around his knee and popped the latches on the stolen robotic arm, opening the top cage part and settled his knee inside. The joints lined up perfectly with his, and though the structure pressed uncomfortably into the most tender parts of his injury, the towel was enough to protect it. He closed the brace and clipped it shut, gently lowering his leg over the side of the bed and cautiously standing up. His damaged knee felt noticeably sturdier as he retrieved his things and hurried back to the elevator, smiling with pride.  Luck was undeniably on his side.

Steve hit the second-last button on the panel and sobered, itching to rip Thor away from this unfavorable planet and home to safety. The elevator descended much too slowly  for his taste , and Steve gripped toolbox-Mjolnir until his whole hand was white. The doors opened, and he couldn’t stop himself from bursting into an urgent jog. With the thick towel underneath, his brace was snug and allowed him to move at that speed, easing the strain on weak ligaments and healing muscle. All Steve wished he could do was run at full speed, but his injury aside, there were others around, and he was forced to slow to a normal walking pace. Guards walked by on patrol, and if they noticed his adorned knee, they said nothing, made no glances in its direction. Steve hurried along rows of cells, looking inside each one he came across despite knowing exactly how many cells away from elevator Thor’s was by the security monitors he’d been studying for hours.

Toolbox-Mjolnir trembled in his hand, tugging his arm a few degrees upward. Urgency traveled up his arm, and Steve replied with concern. The fear that swept into his palm gave him the power to run.  _ I’m coming, _ he spoke back, abandoning all composure. Steve  _ ran _ down the hallway, knocking aside other creatures patrolling the corridor. One saw him coming, drawing a weapon. Clearly, it was unheard of and therefore suspicious for someone to speed around at this pace with a stick and toolbox, and a vengeful expression. Well, Captain America was here to kick ass. Unfortunate.

Steve dropped and spun his walking stick in one hand, sliding between the legs of the attacking guard and felling him with a hard blow to the knees.  _ Payback’s a bitch. And don’t it feel good. _ Tony would be proud of him, America’s boy scout going for one the less-noble badges. The guard started to fall, gracefully angling his body with intent of bouncing back. Steve was faster, popping to his feet and smashing him to the floor with Mjolnir.  _ Nobody _ would survive ribs smashed in like that... not to mention a fractured spine from impact with the floor. But Steve didn’t stop to appreciate his handiwork, and though it wasn’t his style, there wasn’t time to.

Thor’s cell was just up ahead, exactly where he’d predicted with the monitors. Two guards stood outside, the ones Steve had seen uncuff lifeless prisoners and drag their bodies from their cells not long ago. The guards looked up and spotted him, visible confusion leaking into their stoic expressions. Steve glanced down at his body, surprised at the sudden display of emotion.

Golden coils rippled across his body, his disguise peeling away to reveal his shiny Asgardian armor and soft human skin. Mjolnir left his hand before the guards could do anything about it, knocking them both down with bone-shattering impact. The hammer slowed mid-air and smacked back into his palm as he turned on his heel, cape fluttering behind him, and stormed toward the cell.

The door was open, but it wouldn’t have mattered: Steve would have broken it with Mjolnir or his shield. Either (or perhaps both) were about to break the guard standing  before  Thor’s body, though. The creature turned, lowering his scanner as a large, angry brick wall blocked out the light from the dim cell and reached for the sword on his back.

The guard dropped his scanner and drew a curved blade from his hip. Steve gave his sword a light toss and batted it with the hammer, spearing the guard through the chest and into the wall behind, killing him immediately. The scanner clattered to the floor.

Mjolnir dropped like the brick that it was and vibrated the floor at his feet. Alarms ripped through the silence, mimicking the bells ringing inside Steve’s skull as he focused all his attention on Thor’s unresponsive form cuffed to the wall,  and  the black cable connected to his temple. The impact was much greater seeing it for real instead of on a small screen. Thor was really here, his expression unusually barren aside from the small downward tilt of his eyebrows. Steve rushed forward and ripped off his gloves and bracers, grabbing the cable in bare hands.

“I gotcha...” Steve murmured, running his fingers along the connection. That blue light he’d noticed appeared to be something like a plug stuck to Thor’s skin.  _ Neural implant? _ Steve thought, carefully twisting the cable. It clicked free and the white glow faded from it. Indeed, the blue light was coming from a device actually embedded in the demi-god's skin.  _ That’s disgusting. _

It wouldn’t come off. Steve threaded his fingers through Thor’s hair and cupped his ear, holding his head still. The prince was complete ly inert as the Captain tried to get a good grip on the device. Even if it would have surrendered to his strength, there wasn’t enough of it protruding to grab. Steve sighed in frustration and let go, pushing a few strands of stray blonde from Thor’s forehead and squeezing his bearded cheeks. “Give me somethin’ here...” Whatever that thing was, it had to go. Thor had been able to communicate through the hammer, so why wasn’t he moving?

_ Is it an inhibitor of some kind? _ The idea sounded ludicrous, yet possible. Steve had seen a lot of brain-melting wonders since the ice . H ell, an immortal prince from outer-space had told him he  _ loved him. _ Nothing seemed ludicrous anymore. Steve rubbed Thor’s cheeks with his thumbs, feelings a pulse under his jaw . The god was alive, breathing, warm... Steve blocked out the alarms and the time pressure of their mission, closing his eyes and gently pushing his forehead against Thor’s. Even inert, the prince was his anchor in the storm, a shelter from the chaos, a strength to bet his life on when his own failed. He had to think.

Perhaps it wasn’t that complicated. Steve slowly rocked back and clasped Thor’s neck, glancing over his shoulder at Mjolnir resting on the floor. The Captain reached out and called it to his palm, unwilling to step away from his friend. He stared at dark eyelashes pressed to soft cheeks, running his thumb along a shallow cut. “I hope this works,” he whispered, looking up to where Thor’s wrists were trapped against the wall just above his head.

Steve curled open Thor’s fingers and wrapped them around Mjolnir’s handle, pressing his other hand over them. He breathed deeply in, sighed it out, and called upon the lightning.

Outside the building he could hear it : gathering storm clouds and rolling thunder. Even deep underground the sound reached them. Soon, so did the vibrations. The ground shook with raw power and lightning cracked the sky far, far above them. Steve could feel a hell of a lot of power channeling through the hammer as he called for it, and he knew that wasn’t all of  _ Thor’s _ power. Thor was more than his hammer, hadn’t needed it to use his lightning back on  Sakaar . Steve couldn’t remember seeing the god ever use his power without his hammer since, but he knew he could, somehow...

Hopefully, this could be the ‘how’. Steve could feel Thor’s emotions lapping against his own, and they were... torn. The god didn’t seem to know if he was curious, proud, or trepidatious.  _ Be awake, how about that, _ Steve thought back.  _ Come on, grab it. I’m right here. Can you feel it in your hand? Can you feel  _ my _ hand? _

The Captain shot a pulse of energy through the connection, willing the hammer’s control over to Thor, watching his closed eyes and deep breathing. All he got was a twitched eyebrow, but it was something. Anything was monumental. It meant Thor was winning, beating whatever technology had shut his body down and tried to turn off his mind as well.

_ That’s it, fight it! Come on, blow that thing up! I know you can do it. You did it before, on  _ _ Sakaar _ _ . _ Steve encouraged, smiling nervously as he drew more power and fed it through. Thor was trying to take it, his emotions desperate and determined. His fingers shifted a fraction under Steve’s, and crackling blue illuminated the cell.

The whole building shook, and this time it wasn’t because of the weather. Steve’s leg nearly collapsed as an earthquake rattled his bones. Something cracked, and the Captain glanced out the cell door, horrified to see the huge split cutting open the hallway floor. He squeezed Thor’s fingers tighter around Mjolnir and stared imploringly at closed eyelids. “Come on...”  _ Thor, I need you to wake up. _

_ Need? _ The word was poorly formed, but tangible. It was thought worriedly, in response to the pain bleeding into Steve’s thoughts and the urgency regarding the situation.

_ Yeah, I need you. _ The Captain clenched his teeth and  _ demanded _ all of Mjolnir’s power, watching lightning wrap around his arm like an electric ribbon. The ground shook a third time, and his leg started to buckle, but he held, crying out in pain and frustration. “Dammit, Thor!”

Mjolnir shifted in his grip, and Thor’s arm flexed. It was a small movement, but it was enough. Steve grinned and shook his head, holding the hammer’s weight but letting control slip over. One pure and totally conscious thought traveled across the bridge:  _ I am awake. _

_ Hi ‘Awake’, I’m Steve, _ Steve grinned and watched with awe as Thor laughed inside his head and sent tendrils of lightning hungrily across the room. The device in his head exploded as the God of Thunder overloaded its circuitry with massive current.

When Steve let go, Mjolnir stayed in Thor’s hand, and the god’s eyes were open. The Captain’s dumbstruck stare was met with a proud smile. Steve stepped back as his friend ripped his  wrists off the wall and dropped Mjolnir, leaning forward and wrapping his arms around him. Thor lifted him off the floor and squeezed, blood trickling down the side of his flushed face. “Steven... I was so worried.”

“I know,” Steve breathed, apologetic and relived at once. “So was I. Loki gave me the scoop.”

“I did not mean to cause you trouble,” Thor set him down and grabbed him by the shoulder, scanning him for injuries. His eyes settled on his injured knee. “I am glad to see your wound i s improved. It must be sore.”

Steve nodded as he spoke. “Little. Come on, no time to waste. You... feel okay?”

“I feel heavier than usual, but it will pass,” Thor insisted, tucking some hair  behind his ear  and pushing his fingers into his temple with disgust. His express ion melted when he looked back at Steve and a smile curved his lips. The Captain blushed and the god leaned in, wrapping him in an enveloping hug. This time, his voice was quiet but earnest. “Thank you.”

Steve smiled softly into Thor’s shoulder, too enamored to give an immediate response. He bought himself a little time, drawing back and touching the prince’s strong jaw before leaning in for a gentle kiss. If there was ever a good time, it felt like now. Thor didn’t kiss back  right away, and his expression was slightly surprised when Steve  eased back. The Captain smirked. “Let’s hope I don’t have to bust you out of dark cells hidden in  alien facilities on the regular.”

“I will do my best to avoid them, Captain,” Thor replied, picking up Mjolnir. His grin was infectious. “And I will follow your lead. I presume Loki is above causing chaos?”

“As usual,” Steve agreed, pulling his sword from the body it was trapping to the wall and sheathing it to his back. “He said he’d be down to get the tesseract while everyone was busy fighting up there.”

Thor nodded. “Where are we?”

“Second-last floor,” Steve replied, stepping toward the door. “We should check on him.”

Thor grabbed his arm and stopped him, staring at him sternly. “Steven, your limp... Please. I can carry you.”

“That bad?” Steve lifted his eyebrows, smiling with guilt he tried to hide. Pain broke through all the joy that had shoved it so easily aside. Running and fighting had strained  his badly torn knee , even with his ingenuity.

Thor nodded solemnly. “If a fight  arises I will set you down, but there is no need to suffer.”

Steve stared at Thor’s sincere  face, a face twisted with the pain of not being able to help. Out of curiosity, he gently tugged on Mjolnir, connecting with it and in turn Thor’s thoughts. Thor wasn’t one to skirt around an issue, direct and bold with his feelings. This was no different, and what rushed up his arm and into his heart was crackling with desire. All his friend had ever wanted was to help, and Steve had promised.

The Captain swallowed and reached out in fear, wrapping his fingers around Thor’s arm . “I... okay. But before we go...”

“Speak.” It was an offer, a command, and a desire all at once.

“We need to talk,” Steve’s voice shook.  _ Really. Why is it easier to watch Thor give me stitches than ask him to have a conversation?  _ Fear flickered across the god’s expression too, and Steve quickly leapt in to clarify. “N-not about that! Not about you... well, sort of about you... I mean, about me, and... how I... treated you. I  gotta be honest.”

“All is forgiven,” Thor replied easily, pulling him closer. Their noses were touching. “Put your heart at ease, and say what you must.”

Steve blushed. “Uh, well, I was thinking later, when we get back to the tower... the building’s  kinda crumbling.”

“That it is,” Thor chuckled, turning his back and crouching a little. “Here, you can make your confessions while we walk.”

Steve smiled bashfully and grabbed Thor’s shoulders, hopping onto his back and wrapping his arms around his neck. “For one... I lied. I told you I was fine when we fought that thing and it hit me with its tail... broke two ribs. Hurt like hell.  Shoulda asked you to wrap them or somethin’...”

Thor straightened and gently supported Steve’s injured leg, cupping the knee in one hand and carrying Mjolnir in the other. His back shook with an understanding chuckle and he walked out of the room and into the hallway, scanning left and right. “I noticed.”

“ Shoulda admitted it when you called me out,” Steve kept his eyes peeled too as the god picked up his pace to a jog and located the elevator. A group of guards rounded the corner and immediately slowed when they spotted the pair, drawing various weapons. Thor effortlessly blasted them to the ground with a bolt of furious lightning.

The prince lightly hopped over the bodies. “Hold this,” he murmured, passing Mjolnir into Steve’s hand for a moment so he could grab a fallen guard and press his hand into the elevator scanner. He selected the top button the panel and took back Mjolnir . The doors slid shut. “I understood your choices. Lady Sif did not offer you the safety of showing weakness of any sort. Her behavior will not go unpunished.”

“It’s okay,” Steve assured quietly . The elevator rose, dinging softly with each floor i t passed. “Still shoulda told you. I should have told you I wasn’t sleeping, either. Wouldn’t have run off into the blizzard the other night if I’d talked to you.”

Thor’s shoulders stiffened with concern, turning his head a little to make eye contact. His stare was pained and his voice soft. He patted Steve’s leg gently. “I knew your nightmares were worsening. I did not know they were worsening to that degree. I should have stepped in long before they became this severe. As your friend that is my responsibility.”

That blush wasn’t getting a chance to fade. Steve shook his head. “Yeah, well, I didn’t exactly give you a clear picture of how bad it was getting. Not your fault. Nobody else at the tower did anything either.” He wasn’t angry. It really wasn’t their fault. Steve was always on them for hiding injuries after a battle, or asking them to open up if they seemed off. Every time any one of them had asked back, though, he’d just brushed them off.

“You are incredibly stubborn,” Thor agreed, but his smile was a proud one. “But it is one of your finest qualities.”

“Such a romantic,” Steve laughed, charmed.

“Your smile would be another,” Thor looked around again to catch a glimpse of it. “I would like to see more of it.”

“I feel a lot better already,” Steve admitted. The elevator doors slid open, and Thor set him down as the sounds of battle reached their ears.

The god faced him and cupped his face. “When we return, we will sit wherever you like with strong drink, and I will listen to whatever you wish to say.”

“It’s a date,” Steve smiled.


	14. Chapter 14

Loki excelled at creating chaos, Thor would always give his brother that. Sounds of battle immediately swamped them as they stepped from the elevator. Around the corner, the hallway was filled with carnage ; natives dressed in any number of outfits, from guards to mechanics to scavengers, all battling against the small army Odin had sent. Steve was drawing his shield from his back, but Thor pushed in front, brandishing Mjolnir and flashing the Captain a warning stare. It was great to see Steve on his feet, but his limp was serious, and Thor didn’t want to see him get hurt.

“Stay close,” Thor ordered. “You said Loki is fetching the Tesseract?”

“Yes. He said he’d come get us when he had it,” Steve nodded. “We just have to keep the fighting here.”

“Can you fight?”

Steve clenched his jaw and nodded once, drawing his sword. “I’m sure as hell not sitting on the sidelines.”

Fair enough. Thor wouldn’t have asked that of him, but he would stay close. “Then I have your back.”

It was not the ideal battlefield, but Thor would make due. If the space became too tight, he could always break down a wall or two. For Steve on the other hand, all these corners and surfaces were perfect bounce his shield off of. To his relief, the Captain stayed close by, flinging his shield around the corridor at breakneck speed and deadly accuracy. The forethought that went into each strike always astounded Thor. There was a hidden delicacy behind it. It made his heart race every time he watched the man fight.

It would be hard to use his lightning with so many of Odin’s forces mingled in the fray, but at least nobody was trying to arrest them. There just wasn’t the time, or the opportunity. It would be foolish to arrest  Asgard’s strongest warriors while fighting an enemy that had previously defeated them.

Thor spotted Sif slashing her way down the corridor toward him, finishing off as many enemies as got in her way. She and he were due a serious conversation, but not now.  _ I should have spoken to her straight after the meeting _ _ with Mother _ _ . Maybe then Steven wouldn’t have been so afraid to speak up. Perhaps that is my fault. _

“You are alive,” Sif smiled at him, pleased.

“These creatures are truly pitiful if they think they could kill me with their mortal machines,” Thor smashed an attacke r into the wall. “And even if they were capable of succeeding, they would never have defeated my secret weapon.”

“Your hammer is no secret,” Sif scoffed as she swung her sword.

“That is not my secret weapon,” Thor beamed, “Steven is.”  _ Steven will always come and rescue me. Not that I am in frequent need of rescuing. _

Sif had nothing to say to that, and Thor hurled his hammer passed her shoulder, striking down a group of approaching enemies. With everyone so clustered together, it was easy to land a lot of hits at once.

“Where is Loki?” Sif parried a sword and killed the owner swiftly.

“Retrieving the Tesseract!” Thor replied.

“And you let him go alone?!”

Steve whipped around, suddenly beside Thor and reaching out to catch his shield as it rebounded over. “It was his plan. He’s the only one who can cloak himself and get down there without raising suspicion.”

“We’re all dead,” Sif growled, punching down the next guard that attacked her and storming in Steve’s direction. “You are an idiot,  _ Captain, _ or has your legendary memory failed to remind you of what he has done?”

“Now is  _ not _ the time,” Thor growled back, grabbing Sif by the collar of her armor and lifting her away from Steve. The Captain’s expression was stern but unwavering as he kept one eye on the battlefield and watched her with the other.

“If not now, then when?” Sif replied, smacking Thor’s hand away. “What if Loki has already taken the Tesseract and fled with it? When would be a good time to discuss that?”

“I have faith in my brother,” Thor rumbled, “as well as Steven’s judgement. I understand your concern, but regardless if you are correct, it is too late. All we can do is fight.”

“There are too many of them,” Steve nodded, hurling his shield at the back wall and bowling down another swarm of enemies. “We’re barely holding them off.” A clear message: shut up, and fight. Steve was too polite to say something like that though.

Sif got the picture, but she didn’t look happy about it. Thor tried not to hold it against her. He had a feeling he knew what her problem was, and though it didn’t make it right, it did lend him some idea of how to deal with it.

Either Loki had the Tesseract or the earthquakes weren’t stopping. Thor heard Steve cry out sharply as the floor rattled and shoved upward. The impact jostled his knees, only for the floor to completely let go beneath them. Thor spun around and grabbed whatever part of Steve he could reach and yanked him close. Sif tumbled with them, along with a couple of soldiers and most of the enemies fighting in that strip of hallway. They fell through two floors, the mass amounts of rubble cracking the one they finally landed on. Thor turned in the air and wrapped his arms around Steve, hitting the ground shoulders first. The impact wasn’t enough to hurt either man, but he still watched the Captain very carefully as  he stood up and nudged aside debris. The ground rattled again, but this time it wasn’t an earthquake.

“Explosion,” Steve breathed, kicking his shield into one hand and his sword to the other as Thor called his hammer. “This place doesn’t have long. Loki better hurry his ass up.”

\--

Steve honestly couldn’t say he trusted Loki’s word to come back for them once he had the Tesseract. All he knew was that there wasn’t anything he could have done to change the plan. There was no way he’d have been able to get to the machine and climb up to where the cube was secured, not safely anyway.

The building was coming down. A second earthquake nearly took his legs out from under him, but he managed to keep his balance. Thor was right, he wasn’t in any shape to be fighting.  _ Didn’t stop me before the serum.  _ As long as he wasn’t a hindrance, Steve would fight. He crushed an enemy in the midsection with his shield and spotted Sif from the corner of his eye, fighting off a trio of attackers with her bare hands, and losing.

Where was her sword? Steve glanced up to the floor they’d fallen from. He looked around. Thor was occupied, bleeding out his temple but grinning like a child on his birthday. Steve jumped over some debris and frisbee-threw his shield, cracking one of Sif’s attackers in the neck and killing him instantly. The other two didn’t notice his approach, ruthlessly beating down their weaponless opponent.

Sif was a good  warrior, Steve would never deny that. But she had no sword, and hand-to-hand just wasn’t good enough against the weapons these creatures wielded. Not hers anyway. At least  _ she _ saw him coming, though, confusion flashing across her face. It was quickly pursued by indignation as Steve vaulted a chunk of concrete and caught his shield, landing less gracefully than usual and running as fast as he could toward her. The Captain drew back his arm and threw his sword at her.

She caught it, and it took her less time to kill the other two enemies than it did for Steve to close the distance. “I don’t need your help,” she snapped, offering him back the blade. “Keep it.”

“I only got one lesson,” Steve turn ed his back to her and tucked his shoulders behind his raised shield. “It’s better off in your hands. All I need is this anyway.”

Sif curled her lip, but at least she didn’t argue with him, standing with him to fight the guards swarming either side of them. There were too many, some having fallen from the floors above and joining those who were already down  here. Steve could feel his leg shivering, and he knew it wouldn’t hold up indefinitely no matter how stubbornly he ignored the pain. It was too physically weak to maintain his usual fighting pace.  _ Lucky I can walk at all. Come on, Loki. Get us the hell out of here. _

There was no rest. Another earthquake sent threatening cracks through the floor beneath them, and fragments of floor from above showered down. Another explosion sounded from somewhere unseen, but they all felt the force of it.

“Get to the top!” Thor dropped beside him and wrapped a hand around his shield harness. “Steven, get outside! We cannot wait inside any longer. We must retreat!”

He was given no time to give his opinion before Thor was spinning his hammer and flying him all the way to the top floor and setting him down. The god looked disheveled and more tired than usual. Drained. However long that cable had been attached to him, draining him, it must have been long enough to take at least some power. Thor seemed like an endless supply, but everybody had their limit. He gripped Steve’s shoulder and started at him with stormy eyes. “Go. Can you run?”

“No, but I’ll make due. Go, get the others. I’ll try to keep my head down,” Steve promised.

“There’s Volstagg,” Thor pointed. “Tell him we are evacuating. I will be back for you.”

“Be careful,” Steve agree d .

“You too,” Thor grabbed the collar of Steve’s armor and yanked him close, smashing their lips together in an urgent kiss. The god pulled back, flushed but pleased. “Go.”

Steve nodded mutely and turned around, holding his shield in front of him and forcing his legs to move him as fast as they could. It wasn’t exactly a run, but it would do. He waded through enemies, punching and throwing his shield to clear a path to  Volstagg . “Thor said we  gotta go!” he yelled.

The Asgardian glanced at him, a big grin spreading across his features. “Steven!” He axed down an enemy with a wide swing and a yell. The warriors met, and  Volstagg patted his shoulder. “We were worried about you!”

“I’ve been called the luckiest bastard alive many times,” Steve nodded proudly and broke an enemy sword with a swift blow on his shield. “Loki helped. Come on, we have to let everybody else know we’re leaving. The building is coming down.” Another earthquake punctuated his thoughts, and a light fixture came loose, smashing in a shower of glass and sparks. 

“ Fandral !”  Volstagg yelled, and a blonde head emerged in the fray. “Gather everyone! We are to flee the building! Thor’s orders!”

The other warrior nodded and yelled at Hogan, who was somewhere buried in the chaos too. Another earthquake hit, and this time his leg gave completely away.

So did the floor, again. Cracks ripped it open like paper, and the whole structure shook.

“Run!” Steve yelled, pushing to his feet. There was no need for further explanation. This whole place was going down. It was damn luck both sides knew it was time to go, too, because their enemy was abandoning the fight and fleeing for the exit. Maybe it was just a sign of how dire everything was. Steve saw fear in the eyes of the enemy as they passed him. 

The whole building was going down. He could feel it shifting. Something gave way in the foundation and  _ everything _ dropped at least a foot. Steve yelped as impact slammed up his legs, his injured knee giving  way completely. It  _ felt _ like something had snapped, but maybe he was imagining things. His shield fell from his hand and his whole body crashed to the ground. Scores of feet thundered past him, and Steve pushed his arms under him before he got trampled. Soldiers and aliens alike ran past, but nobody stopped. The building dropped another foot and Steve felt like an omelet in a frying pan. A piece of ceiling crumbled away and crushed the floor a few inches from his feet.

His body started to slide into the hole. Steve scrambled for a handhold, lifting his shield off the floor and snapping it to his back as he struggled to follow the rest of the group. He was the last one. Everyone who was behind him had fallen. Steve stumbled to the nearest wall and leaned against it, peering over his shoulder at the gaping hole in the ground. He faced the path in front of him and pushed off from the wall, leaning his weight into his right foot. The Captain set his jaw and took a deep breath, then pushed off and put everything he had into getting his legs to move.

Something exploded behind him. Steve wrapped his arms around his head as the blast smashed him against the wall. His shoulder dented it, but he righted himself and kept going.  _ Thor’s still down there! What’s he doing? Come on! Get out of there! _ Steve gasped as his leg failed him completely, folding under him and bringing his huge body crashing down. Another explosion rocked the whole structure sideways and he covered his head again as bits of concrete bounced off his shield. There was no way he would make the exit before this place came down.

_ Help. Get help. _ Steve scrabbled at the floor with his bare fingers, eyes wide as the very surface under him crumbled and gave way.  _ Help! “THOR!”  _ He called for his friend, screamed it as loud as he could as he fell backward into the darkness opening below him. There was nothing left to grab onto. Steve flailed, trying desperately to find  purchase on  _ anything _ . There was nothing.

A light shone in the darkness, a blue glow bouncing off the debris falling along with him. Steve laughed wetly, and opened his hand.

Thor burst out of a ball of flame as the lower floors exploded, smoke trailing from his heels. The prince bellowed his name and  reached out with his free hand, snatching Steve out of the air.

"I have you!" he shouted. "I have you, hang on, Steven!”

Steve obeyed as Thor pulled him closer, wrapp ing his arms around Thor’s neck and tucking in his head. The prince wrapped a hand around Steve’s head and pulled it in close, turning his own face away as Mjolnir exploded them through the collapsing ceiling of the compound. The fire was not far behind. They weren’t going to outrun it.

Cold air smacked Steve in the face as he turned his cheek against Thor’s shoulder and stared down at the snowy wasteland far below. The building was folding into the ground, and the bi-frost was cutting down from the grey sky to collect the escaped Asgardian warriors. He saw Sif,  Volstagg , Hogan, and  Fandral all among the group. They were safe. Steve closed his eyes and held tightly to Thor.

“Don’t let go,” Thor murmured, wrapping his arm tighter around the Captain and enveloping him with his body. “I have you.”

The prince  must have let go of Mjolnir because his other arm snaked around his back and squeezed. Their flight slowed, but it was inconsequential. The fire was upon them anyway, and the blast flung them higher and into the trees, dislodging Steve’s shield from his back. Thor caught the explosion in the back, protecting Steve’s body from the worst of it. The god barely grunted, twisting in the air as they flew into the trees. He took the brunt of that, too, smashing through branches and leaves until finally they hit the ground. Thor’s shoulders  bounced once and  carved a huge  trench in the snow, showering it everywhere. Steve gasped for breath, covering his head with both arms and leaning his chest over Thor’s as they were pelted with small chunks of building.

Then, the forest was still.

No fighting, no shouting. Another explosion  rippled the ground, but it was distant now. Steve peeled open his eyes and lowered his arms, rolling off Thor and propping himself up on a shaking arm, still trying to catch his breath. Thor lay in the snow, his face lax and his eyes closed. Steve reached for a pulse and didn’t take a breath until he found one. It was rapid with adrenaline, but present.

“Saved me again,” Steve panted, clutching Thor’s face tightly. “Come on, you have to get up. No sleeping in the middle of a fight. I know you like a good nap, but we have to go.” An earthquake serious enough to fell a nearby tree felled Steve as well. He collapsed over Thor’s chest and promptly sat up again, shaking the god by his shoulders.

He was getting nothing. Steve grit his teeth and opened his palm. Mjolnir crashed through the trees to his hand, and the Captain pressed it into Thor’s limp hand. “Grab it, come on!” The ground shook again, a final warning. There was no saving this planet anymore. Steve looked up. He could still see the bi-frost, but there was no way he could carry Thor to it. His leg was too damaged and worn to hold his weight. It wasn’t even bending anymore, the muscles seized. When he glanced back, the towel he’d wrapped around it was dotted with blood. “Shit.”

Thor coughed. Steve whipped his head around and dragged himself upright, brushing smoky hair off the prince’s forehead and holding his palm there. “Come on, get up. We’re so close!” Dark eyelashes fluttered, but didn’t open. Steve squeezed his eyes shut in desperation and pressed slightly parted lips with a soft kiss. “Okay, okay I got this.”

He had this. Steve pulled Thor toward him, trying not to think about his friend’s shredded, charred cape and bloody  shoulders . At least Asgardian armor was strong... Steve swallowed and squeezed Mjolnir, pushing his good knee under him and shoving his shoulder into Thor’s stomach. The god flopped over his shoulder and he barely managed to balance him there. All he had to do was fly them out of there. Steve slid his hand through Mjolnir’s strap and started to stand. Thor was heavy, but not impossible to lift, not for Steve.  _ This is it. _ The Captain pushed his jaw forward and glared at the bi-frost, spinning the hammer in his hand.

This time, when the next earthquake hit, Steve felt the ground under him start to split. He fell, and took Thor with him. They collapsed in a tangled heap, and Steve tried to ease their fall. He was unsuccessful. Mjolnir dropped into the snow with a gentle puff of powder.

“Okay, we’ll try again,” Steve coughed, pushing Thor’s bulk off of him. When he looked up, the pillar of color was gone. The bi-frost was closed. The Captain collapsed back onto Thor’s chest and balled his fists angrily. “Dammit. Dammit, Thor! Get up!  _ Get up!  _ I’m sorry, I can’t carry you! You have to get up!  _ Heimdall! _ "

Would this all-seeing guardian of the bi-frost be able to hear him? Steve didn’t know, but he had to try. He turned to the heavens. “Heimdall!” There was nothing else he could think of to say. Was there a magic saying? A key word? Could the Asgardian see him, see where they were? Could he see Thor, too? “ _ Heimdall! _ "

A tree a few feet away uprooted and toppled into a widening split in the ground. Snow and underbrush followed. Steve wrapped his arm around Thor’s chest and picked up Mjolnir, desperately trying to right himself so he could make e nough room to spin the hammer. “Heimdall-!” The sound ripped from his throat in time with the ground beneath him. They fell down, down in darkness, but at least he had the room to spin Mjolnir now.

A burst of blue and purple light opened up in the void below, and Loki appeared beneath them, Tesseract in-hand. They fell through the portal and straight onto the helipad of Avengers tower. Steve dropped Mjolnir and coughed  breathlessly, his arm crushed under Thor’s shoulders. He turned just in time to see Loki staring back knowingly.

“Take care of him.”

“What about Odin?” Steve breathed.

“I’ll deal with him,” Loki replied calmly. “I’m sure he will forget about your banishment once he has this.”

Steve’s eyes drifted to the Tesseract, then back up to the god’s eyes. “Thank you. For everything.” Too brief! There hadn’t been enough time, he had more to say!

“You can pay me back later,” Loki cut him off , and Steve chuckled tiredly, pushing his forehead against the cold metal plating of Thor’s armor. He nodded, heaving a few strained breaths.

Something sailed over his head and slid on the ground. Steve looked up and saw his shield sitting a few feet away, dusty and scorched, but whole as always. The Captain looked over his shoulder, but Loki was gone, swallowed by a portal. They were alone. It was over.

Steve laughed and wiped his eyes, letting his head fall into Thor’s shoulder. He heard the doors to the tower slide open and voices shouting, but ignored them. He was tired, and had earned a nap. There was nothing left to be worried about.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while, but I have a ton of art on the way! Yay!

“Hey, you think he’ll let me wear the armor if I ask nicely?”

“Maybe.”

“What about the metal? Maybe he’ll let me have some. My scanners are picking up some elements we don’t have here on earth. It’s an alloy of some kind. Imagine how strong Iron Man would be with  _ Asgardian armor _ in it, huh Bruce?”

“Shh, Tony, he’s waking up. Don’t pelt him with too many questions, okay? Let him rest. Looks like he had a hard day.”

“Mmmmmmm.” Steve groaned, partially in agreement, but mostly out of pure stiffness. Bruce’s kind eyes came into focus, followed by Tony’s inquisitive ones.

“Rise and shine Captain! You’re late for your run!” Bruce smacked Tony, and Steve blinked awake.

He was in the tower, in medical. Home. It was truly over.

“Welcome back, Steve. You passed out on us for a few hours,” Bruce explained sympathetically.

“Made it really hard to get you out of that armor by the way,” Tony thrust a glass of water into his hand. “Drink it. You looked like you ran through a forest fire when you dropped out of the sky on the helipad.”

Steve lifted his arm and took the cup, sipping blissfully cool water. He noticed his bandaged forearms, felt the familiar sting of burns a second later. Oh... probably from the explosion. He’d had his arms wrapped around  Thor’s neck at the time. What time was that, exactly...?

“Thor.” Steve shoved his water cup back to Tony, eyes wide as he sat up and looked around. “Where’s Thor, is he okay?”

“He’s okay,” Bruce lifted his hands. “Resting. You can see him in a minute, but I think you’d better get your bearings first.”

“I feel fine,” Steve batted Bruce away and sat up further, throwing off the blankets and swinging his legs over the side of the bed . He was standing up before Tony could stop him, but the engineer caught him before he fell.

“Uh, yeah, about that, Captain Self-Preservation, I’d really,  _ really _ get your bearings first, okay?” Tony hoisted him back on the bed with a grunt. “You weigh a  _ ton. _ "

Steve sat back heavily and stared down at his mildly bruised chest and PJ pants. There was a brace secured with Velcro straps to his injured knee. The minute he laid eyes on it, reality sank in and he let Tony and Bruce help him get settled again.

“You and Point-Break had quite the adventure,” Tony tucked the blanket back up to his chest as Bruce picked up his tablet to do some scans. “You’ll have to tell us about them. First of all, where you got the sweet armor, and why Loki dropped you off.”

“Long story,” Steve replied hoarsely, fiddling with the blankets. His head felt cloudy, but it was nice to be in a bed again, even if that bed was in one of his least favorite places. “Thanks for not taking me to SHIELD, or a hospital.”

“Nothing we couldn’t handle,” Tony assured confidently, patting Steve’s shoulder. “Besides, you’d have glared at us for weeks after.”

“I wouldn’t have,” Steve smiled a little and rubbed his eyes.

“My scans show you severed your PCL, and that you damaged the ligaments repeatedly afterward. T h e state it was in leads me to believe you ripped them apart while they were healing,” Bruce explained, reading off his screen, Tony wincing as he did so. There was a little bit of awe in the engineer’s eyes.

“Didn’t mean to,” Steve replied quietly. “But... yeah. They got cut right through.”

“A normal person probably wouldn’t ever fully recover from  a n injury like that,” Bruce took off his glasses and set aside his tablet. “You’ve already started healing, and so  far everything looks  the way it should . I’d recommend you take it easy for bit though Cap, I’m serious.”

Both scientists stared him down with their serious face s , and Steve glanced between them, biting his lip and fidgeting with the blankets. He felt restless already, but gave in with a sigh and a tired smile. “Okay, Doc, thanks.”

“Doing what he’s told?” Tony scoffed, throwing up his hands and turning around. “Check him for mind control, Bruce. That or Loki just fried him. Or made him sensible.”

“You’re one to talk,” Bruce muttered, then smiled at Steve. “Overall, you’re healthy. A bit cut up, but you’ll probably heal in a day or two, apart from your knee. That might be a couple of weeks before it’s normal again. I’d recommend the swimming pool. It’s a great way to build up strength and range of motion without straining it with impact.”

“Will do,” Steve nodded obediently.

“Good boy,” Tony praised. “In that case, you are officially discharged. Oh, maybe put a shirt on first.” The engineer handed over a big sweater and Steve put it on gratefully.

“We’re ordering pizza tonight,” Bruce explained, coming around to Tony’s side to help Steve stand up. “Care to join us?”

“I think I will,” Steve smiled. His stomach agreed in earnest. 

“Good to have you back, Cap,” Tony  tugged an arm over his s lighter s houlders. “We’ll make this your first therapy session.”

“Nice and slow,” Bruce warned, taking the other arm. Steve gently lowered his weight onto his friends and took a hesitant step.

“Thanks guys,” Steve smiled appreciatively, pink in the cheeks. He felt safe, strangely, even though he was just remembering his promises to himself.  _ I have to tell them. Especially about the pool.  _ "I’ll tell you everything, I promise.”

It must have come out a little differently than he imagined, because Bruce squeezed his arm and Tony actually gave him a genuine and concerned smile. “Take your time  big guy. You can tell us when you’re stuffed on pizza. First things first, though.”

\--

Thor was in the med-bay often enough to know what it looked like immediately. Usually, though, he was just giving Steve a few stitches. There was the rare occasion where he brought back something that was too deep to heal immediately, in which case they would swap roles and Steve would give him a stitch or two. That was rare.

The room looked very different from this vantage point. Thor blinked o pen o ne eye, the other pressed into a pillow. A hand waved in front of his face, and Clint tipped sideways to line up their faces. The archer grinned. “The beast awakens!”

“Good, he wouldn’t want to miss pizza night.” Natasha spoke behind him, and he felt her fingers in his hair, combing out the knots. It felt good.

_ Romanoff, Barton. We must be in the tower. How did we get here? _ Had Heimdall used the bi-frost and brought them here? Thor furrowed his eyebrows and squinted at his own hand resting by his face. He was on his stomach, laid out in medical... The god flexed his shoulder, creasing the muscles. He felt the tug of stitches immediately, and the sting of healing burns. There were so many questions...

“Cap’s in the other room,” Natasha assured. “He’s fine.”

“I didn’t know you could bleed,” Clint joked, hooking a chair closer and sitting down. “You were about as heavy as I expected, though.”

“How long have I been asleep?” Thor asked quietly. His voice felt a little hoarse and smoky. He remembered the fire, and the explosion that had flung himself and Steve into the forest... He’d landed on his back and immediately blacked out.

“Oh, a few hours,” Barton checked his watch. “Which is good, because your back was ripped to shreds. Tash stitched it up for you.”

“Thank you,” Thor smiled gratefully, relieved. He didn’t remember much from his short time in captivity, but he knew some sort of machine had started sucking at his power. These types of superficial wounds usually healed much faster, but he’d been worried he’d lost consciousness for days. Hours  was fine. Once he got a bit of rest and ate something his healing would pick back up.

But, if only a few hours had passed... Thor frowned again. “How did we get here?”

Clint shrugged. “Didn’t see. You’ll have to ask Steve. Oh, and your hammer’s still sitting on the heli-pad.”

“I will retrieve it shortly,” Thor nodded gratefully. He’d completely forgotten about Mjolnir. He nearly suggested Steve could fetch it if Tony wanted it moved right away, but held his tongue, remembering the Captain’s earnest wishes to keep that a secret.

“Rest up first,” Clint shook his head. “Bruce didn’t want to give you any painkillers because he wasn’t sure what they’d do to you, but he said if you wanted to try some he was happy to give it a go.”

“No, no I’m alright,” Thor gave the archer a grateful smile. His back was sore and his shoulders felt especially raw, but the pain was minimal.

“Good. I’ll go get you some water,” Clint nodded and stood up, grinning. “Feel better. Everybody is dying to hear how your mission went.”

“It is indeed quite the tale,” Thor chuckled tiredly. “I will be there.”

“ Countin ’ on it,” Barton turned and walked out.

Natasha combed out the last lock and walked around to give him a small wave and smile. It was rare for the woman to show such affection, and she certainly hadn’t done so for him that he could remember. He had a good team here. Thor smiled back.

“You’re a much better patient than Steve,” Natasha chuckled. “I’m surprised he hasn’t rubbed off on you the number of times you guys end up here.”

Thor shook with subdued laughter. “Steven despises your places of healing. I must admit we are one in the same in that regard, but I have grown quite fond of this place. It does not bother me. And I admit I am rather tired. Perhaps under other circumstances you may not think me so well-behaved.”

Natasha smiled fondly. “Yeah, Steve hates hospitals. It’s a miracle you can get him down here at all. He needs you.”

“As he needs you,” Thor replied earnestly. “He listens to your reason.”

Natasha looked very pleased by that. “We’re all happy to have you back,” she added.

“I am happy to be home,” Thor confirmed warmly.

Clint returned with some water and stood beside Natasha to chat for a few minutes. He dropped a straw in the cup and held it where Thor could drink, carrying on with the conversation. Thor sipped and listened, offering a word or two in between. The spies kept him company until Tony’s grinning face peered around the door.

“Delivery!” the engineer announced, entering the room with Dr. Banner, Steve supported between them.

The Captain looked  _ good. _ Well, he was in pain, struggling to walk between the two scientists who were holding most of his weight, but he was clean and smiling. “Thor!”

“Cap,” Barton gave him a respectful nod and put the cup on the bedside table. He stood back from the chair so Steve could ease himself down into it. Natasha squeezed the Captain’s shoulders and made her leave, linking arms with Clint and trailing him out of the room.

“You look well,” Thor smiled, reaching out his hand. Steve stopped him, wrapping both of his bandaged hands around Thor’s and settling it back against the sheets.

“And you look exhausted,” the Captain chuckled. “How do you feel?”

“Exhausted,” Thor admitted cheerfully.

“Can I get you anything?” Bruce  offered, eyebrows upturned sympathetically.

“I have everything I require, Doctor, thank you,” Thor nodded gratefully and glanced at Steve. The Captain blushed and squeezed his hand.

“Then we’ll let you guys rest,” Bruce nodded back. “I’ll get you some crutches, Steve. No weight on that leg, got it?”

Steve saluted, and the scientists left them to their own devices. The second the door closed, the Captain was lifting up on his good leg and falling forward against the bed rail, fumbling with the latches so he could lower it. He leaned his elbows against the mattress and threaded his fingers with restrained desire through Thor’s hair. The god started to push himself up, but Steve shoved him down and brought his face close, turning his head a little and kissing him firmly on the lips. There was relief there, paired with passion. Steve was strong, but he was holding back as he did the work.

It felt so good. All his aches melted away and he let his body go completely lax. Steve’s hands were in his hair and at the back of his neck, skirting around a few stray scorch marks there. Thor wasn’t sure how long they spent entangled, but they were both breathless by the end. Steve collapsed back in his chair and pushed back his forelock, smoothing out his sweater, panting and rosy with contentment. Neither of them  spoke until Banner returned with a pair of crutches and rested them against the wall where Steve could reach. The doctor glanced between both men, and Steve offered him a casual thank-you.

“JARVIS will let you know when dinner is here. Common area,” Bruce explained. “Get some rest until then. Holler if you need anything.”

“Will do,” Steve nodded. “Thanks Bruce. I think we’re okay.”

The doctor took their word for it and left. The door closed softly.

“You saved my life,” Steve breathed. “Saved me a lot of pain, too. I don’t think an explosion and fall like that would have killed me, but it probably would have taken a few weeks to heal. And you caught me... what were you doing down there anyway?”

“Retrieving those that I could from the lower floors,” Thor explained. “I was going to check on Loki, but I heard your call. How did you get us here, by the way?”

“Oh, I didn’t,” Steve shook his head. “Loki used the Tesseract and sent us here. Then he went back to  Asgard with it. Or, so he told me. I’m inclined to believe him.”

“I would quite like to  see  Sif’s face when he arrives with it,” Thor chuckled, then fell serious. He turned his hand and wrapped it around Steve’s fingers, squeezing gently. His expression twisted with mild anger. “I cannot apologize enough for the way she treated you. She has fought by my side as a trusted companion for many centuries. Her behavior was inexcusable.”

Steve was smiling, shaking his head and letting go of Thor’s hand with one of his so he could stroke his hair reassuringly. “What happened wasn’t her fault,” the Captain explained. “I should have told you I was hurt. I should have told you I wasn’t sleeping, or that my nightmares were getting worse. That started long before I met her.”

Thor sighed, accepting  Steve ’s honorable response.  He closed his eyes submissively, enjoying long artist’s fingers in his hair. If he could sit here like this for hours, he would.  “Very well. But I must apologize on her behalf, and on mine for not speaking to her sooner. I should not have allowed her disrespect for you to continue.”

“Hey, I was the new guy,” Steve continued. “They had no reason to trust me.”

“They had my word,” Thor retorted , opening his eyes . “That should have been enough.”

“You can’t please everyone,” Steve patted Thor’s head very gently and cupped his neck. “It’s not worth worrying about, okay?”

“For you, I will oblige,” Thor agreed reluctantly.

“Thanks,” Steve smiled, rubbing his fingers up and down the prince’s neck. “I’m really sorry for lying to you...”

“Come closer,” Thor urged, and Steve frowned but obliged. The god lifted his ear off the pillow and kissed the Captain’s bottom lip. “The world has not given you many openings to be honest. But you can with me. You have everything I can offer.”  _ You can tell me anything you wish. I will do what I can for you. _

Steve blinked furiously and squeezed Thor’s neck, pressing their foreheads together. His eyes were misty and lips parted. Finally, the Captain gave up trying to find something to say, and rested his head against the pillows. He squeezed his eyes shut and sobbed quietly into the sheets, clutching Thor’s head against his. Thor stretched his arm, pulling it from the Captain’s limp fingers and wrapping it around the other man’s back no matter how much it tugged on his torn shoulder. He rubbed his palm into Steve’s shaking muscles, and was silent as his friend released a week’s worth of pent up emotions, maybe more.

Thor wished he could pull Steve into bed with him, but he wasn’t sure he’d be able. It frustrated him, but Steve seemed perfectly content where he was. The Captain cried quietly for a few minutes, and Thor kept rubbing even as the sobbing stopped. Steve’s shoulders stilled, and he sniffed, letting go of Thor’s neck to wipe his eyes on the sleeve of his sweater.

“Better?” the prince murmured, drawing his hand back and cupping Steve damp and swollen face.

“ Mmhmm ,” Steve murmured, leaning into the touch. 

“Good,” Thor smiled.

“Lessons learned,” Steve smiled wetly. “M-might take me a bit to get used to being honest...”

“Luckily, you are a bad liar,” Thor chuckled. “ So if I catch you, I will not allow you to suffer in silence. And no more hiding away in your room. You can always ask the man in the walls to rouse me.”

“I’ll try,” Steve whispered, grinning, eyes bright through sticky eyelashes.

“And I will be patient,” Thor smiled back. “I love you.”

It was about time. He hadn’t said it out loud, so technically it didn’t count. He should have said it much, much earlier. Steve was making him feel so many things, and had been for months. How had it taken him this long to find a word for it?

“I don’t deserve you,” Steve whispered, sobbing anew. Thor grabbed a handful of  sweater and yanked him down, shutting him up with a kiss.

“The  _ world _ does not deserve you,” Thor contested firmly, daring to be challenged. “After all it has done to you. Yet you continue to get up and fight. That is what makes you good, and worthy. You are worthy, Steven. If you doubt yourself, then trust Mjolnir. It has nothing to gain-”

“I trust  _ you, _ " Steve murmured.

“And I love you,” Thor repeated, giddy just from saying the words out-loud.

Steve laughed, tearing up again, grinning incredulously. “I love you too.”

It was even more giddying to hear it back. Thor grinned as well, and they both sat there clinging to each other, grinning like a couple of idiots, pinker than cherry pie.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry guys, there's still a bit more to do on this guy!
> 
> ALSO I am planning the next story. I'm been offered a few suggestions that I plan on adding, but I am ALWAYS open to suggestions/critiques/comments. So if you have something you want to see, let me know and I'll see what I can do! And if you want to see more of certain scenarios, let me know that too!
> 
> Anyway, here's some more art, and fluff.

Thor assured he’d be fine after some rest, that he would heal in a matter of hours once he got all his energy back. Steve offered to bring down some food, but the god shook his head and insisted he come join everyone. He was just a little tired and stiff. 

Steve helped him get up, turning him gingerly onto his back before folding him sitting. Then he held up a big hoodie so his friend could slide his arms through the sleeves. 

Once he was up and on his feet, Thor looked much more awake. He made a face and stretched his shoulders a little, careful not to pull his stitches. Regardless, he seemed much more worried about Steve than himself anyway. Typical. Steve smiled to himself as Thor looped an arm through his and walked him out of medical and into the elevator. It was painfully slow going, but that was fine. There was no rush. 

“How long did Banner say it would take to heal?” Thor asked, glancing at Steve’s braced leg. 

“Couple of weeks,” Steve shrugged. “Apparently it can take up a to a year for a normal person. And mine will heal perfectly. Lucky me.” 

“Very lucky,” Thor agreed sincerely. “Perhaps not in the sense that you can endure the same injury an impossible number of times, but I am glad you will heal.” 

_ He’s always right on target... _ Steve thought. Super-healing was great, and he wouldn’t trade it if he could, but even though he was glad about being able to take hits for his human friends, it wasn’t fun getting bullets dug out of you only to be shot again the week after. On the plus side, at least he had the best nurse in the world to take care of him. 

“Bruce said swimming’s a good idea,” Steve licked his lips nervously. He hadn’t really thought about what that _ meant _ until a few moments ago. “I... I’m gonna need some help with that. When you’re healed, of course.” Damn, it was going to take some getting used to, not storming off and trying to take care of everything himself until disaster forced him to do otherwise. 

Thor beamed. “I would be glad to help. You will be healed in no time Steven.” 

“I hope so, I feel antsy already,” Steve squeezed the grips on his crutches. 

“That is your warrior’s spirit longing for battle,” Thor patted him heartily between the shoulder blades. “I will spar with you when Doctor Banner allows it. Perhaps that will ease your restlessness. That and Barton has promised to teach me another of your electronic games! Perhaps you will join us.” 

“I’d like that,” Steve couldn’t keep a smile from peeling his face open. Thor wouldn’t let him get bored. And neither would the rest of his team if he gave them the chance to help. 

“Excellent!” Thor roared with pleasure as the doors softly opened, marching Steve out into the common area. 

Everyone was waiting. Tony was pulling down plates from the cabinets and setting a case of cold beer beside a huge stack of steaming pizza boxes. Clint cheered, no-doubt eager to hear about their adventures. Natasha just smiled quietly and went to make a circle of chairs by the couch with Banner’s help. They all insisted Steve get settled on it, and Thor immediately agreed, shoving the Captain onto it. Barton zipped over and stole Steve’s crutches, leaning them in a corner well out of reach. Thor sat down and arranged Steve’s legs in his lap with the utmost care while Tony brought everything to the coffee table in the middle of the circle. 

With everyone settled, and food passed out, the group turned to the pair on the sofa with eager stares. 

“Go on, you tell it,” Steve nudged Thor in the chest with his good leg, smiling invitingly. 

Thor looked elated, sparing no pauses. He launched into the tale, and Steve filled in a few gaps where necessary, leaving the god a few minutes to eat as many pizza slices as he could get his hands on before plunging back into his loud and enthusiastic storytelling. Steve loved every second of it, and Tony made sure his hands were always occupied with a drink and a full plate. 

The story was longer than Steve ever would have told it. He wasn’t one to elaborate the details, or make a big deal out of his victories, but he had to admit even he was getting chills as Thor recounted the final battle. The god left out a few details, much to the Captain’s relief, but he glorified Steve’s resilience endlessly. It wasn’t that hard to get Steve to blush, but he felt like he was perpetually red-faced around the prince. Sometimes it was just a glance that flushed him, other times a word spoken to or about him, or just a simple touch. 

Thor was both young and old at once. There were centuries of wisdom in his eyes, and though he was blunt and often came across as oblivious, he was wickedly observant. From that mixture bubbled boyish charm, an energetic need for activity and a trust in people that could come across as naïve. Steve didn’t think Thor was naïve at all. He just had a lot of love that his frame, large as it was, couldn’t contain. It made their special love even more so. Thor was friendly with a lot of people, but only Steve got that side of him. 

Did they know? Did the others know how sweet and kind and generous Thor truly was? Steve forgot the story, forgot his food, drifting off into pleasant thoughts. The whole team knew Thor was the one who patched him up after battle, but did they know there was more to it than that? They probably did... Steve huffed a small laugh, realizing he didn’t much care. What did it matter? 

By the time Thor finished his story, Steve was asleep. 

\-- 

“Then, as Steven tells me, my brother opened a portal and deposited us on your aircraft landing platform,” Thor explained proudly. “Is that not correct?” 

They all looked over at Steve, but the Captain had dozed off, a half-finished slice of pizza on the plate resting on his lap, one hand limp on the floor, while the other lightly clutched an empty beer bottle wedged between the couch and his waist. His mouth was hanging open as he snorted quietly. 

“Okay, party’s over,” Tony said quietly, reaching over and setting the plate on the coffee table, plucking the beer bottle free of Steve’s relaxed fingers. 

Steve looked more relaxed than he had in days, weeks even. Thor smiled fondly, glad the Captain was finally managing to catch up on all the rest he missed. He pressed the back of his hand against Steve’s forehead anyway, just in case, but the temperature was normal. The prince shifted and tucked his arms under his friend, lifting him bridal-style with no effort. His back was of no concern, and had already started healing with all the food he’d just eaten. 

“Thank you, friend Stark, for the food. I will take him to bed,” Thor gave each of his team members a grateful nod. 

“Thanks for the revelries,” Clint gave a thumbs-up. “Mario kart tomorrow, kay? I’m making pancakes. As many as you and Cap can shovel in your faces.” 

“And if anything comes up, both of you are benched,” Bruce added, calmly stacking empty pizza boxes. “At least for one day, Thor.” 

“Very well,” Thor agreed without contest, as much as he would be reluctant to keep off any battlefield no matter the severity of his injuries. The burns on his back wouldn’t bother him too much longer. They hardly bothered him now, but if the doctor wished it then he would obey. “Someone must keep Steven occupied.” 

“That’s true,” Bruce chuckled and started putting chairs neatly back where they belonged. The scientist was generally the first one to deal with an injured Steve Rogers after a fight, being that he usually stayed on the jet. He had taught Thor everything he could that Steve might need. Usually, just stitches, but Thor knew how to extract bullets and _ start IVs. _Usually if Steve needed that sort of treatment, Bruce was there to help and set up a drip, but he’d taught Thor how to set a needle and connect it to a flushed line. Both of them knew that an injured Steve Rogers was impossibly stubborn, and Bruce had often commented that Thor’s presence alone made it much easier to talk some sense into the man. The doctor was always more than happy to let the god do whatever was within his abilities. 

“Make sure Steve comes tomorrow,” Clint insisted, getting up to help clean the debris of their dinner. 

“I have already expressed my desire that he accompany us,” Thor agreed warmly. With everything settled, he made his leave. Natasha quietly retrieved Steve’s crutches and followed along behind, slipping into the Captain’s suite behind the god and setting them against the wall. She left with barely a word, shutting the door behind her. 

Thor carried Steve through the floor and into the familiar bedroom, gently setting him on the huge, perfectly-made bed. He held the Captain sitting and pulled off his sweater, then settled him against the pillows and slid off his footwear. Steve grunted a little as he was moved, but didn’t stir. Thor slid a pillow under his leg and propped it up comfortably, then took off the hoodie Steve had given him. The shirt came off too, and he rolled his sore shoulder in slow circles as he gazed down at the sleeping Captain... the man looked so peaceful, a residual smile on his parted lips. 

Just looking at him was making Thor weary. He relented and pulled off his socks, maneuvering the covers from under Steve and sliding in himself. This was exactly where he belonged, and frankly, Thor could use the comfort for himself, too. He could still taste the fear at the back of his throat that had threatened to choke him as he searched fruitlessly in the blizzard for Steve, only to be taken by those creatures. His friends had been forced to surrender, and there was no-one left to search for Steve. Nothing those aliens had done to him had scared him. It hadn’t even been that painful, not even as they implanted that strange device in his head that had shut his senses down before he could call for Mjolnir. His only concern had been Steve. Steve, alone out there somewhere, suffering. Maybe captured, or dead. 

Thor rested his head on Steve’s shoulder, pushing himself under the Captain’s arm and draping his own across his friend’s chest. He tried to forget the memory of his crippling fear and instead remember how much he’d wanted to sob with relief when he’d felt Steve’s mind touch his. It was as if they’d kissed, then, their thoughts weaving together. The Captain’s words in his head had helped him find the strength to fight for just a shred more consciousness. All he could do was project his thoughts and feelings across the connection, but he’d gotten his message through. And Steve had come for him. 

Steve loved him. 

_ Father would scoff, _ Thor thought to himself with an uncaring smile. _ Mother knew. _The prince squeezed Steve tightly. Steve’s love had given him the anchor he needed to stay conscious and break free of that disk’s hold. Steve’s love had saved him from the machine trying to suck his strength away. Maybe it was cheesy and stupid, but he’d meant it when he’d told Sif that Steve was his secret weapon. 

\-- 

The peace didn’t last forever. Thor didn’t wake up as quickly as usual as Steve shifted beneath him. He blinked open his eyes and shifted his arm, propping himself up so he could assess the situation. 

Steve was slick with sweat, squirming in the sheets as he twisted them with both hands. His expression was twisted in pain and his lips formed incoherent pleas between desperate moans. The Captain looked truly haggard, his eyes rimmed with grey and his skin pale. He probably hadn’t slept since his night terror a few days ago. Being unconscious wasn’t the same as sleeping. And how much sleep had he gotten before then? 

“Steven, wake up,” Thor tried, placing his hand in the middle of Steve’s chest and shaking it. Sometimes that was enough. He could feel the Captain’s ribs quivering under his palm and his lungs straining to get air. _ Cold, drowning. The plane crash that froze him. _ Thor still didn’t know the details about that, since Steve rarely told him much. 

Steve shifted under the touch, turning his head toward the voice and opening his eyes a fraction. They were shimmery and unfocused. "P-Peg, found me...” 

“Not Peggy,” Thor murmured sadly, apologetic. Peggy was gone. Steve often asked for her, but hadn’t spoken much about her. Thor hadn’t asked either, uncertain if it was his place to inquire into Steve’s past relationships. 

“Thought I’d d-die...” Steve moaned back. “P-Peg, knew you... wouldn’t s-stop lookin’...” 

“Not Peggy,” Thor repeated, and Steve looked at him with confusion, actually focused on his face. There was no recognition there, as if Loki’s tricks had changed his body to resemble the woman his friend had loved many decades ago. _ Still loves. He still loves her. _ It didn’t hurt, not in a jealous way, but his heart did ache. For the world, it had been decades, but for Steve it had been no time at all. 

The best way to wake Steve up was to find some way to ground him in reality. And right now, Thor had to show him he wasn’t Peggy. The past was gone. They were here, in the tower together. _ Together. _ Thor brushed his fingers along Steve’s jaw and cupped his ear, leaning closer and kissing him gently. He pushed their mouths together, angled his face so Steve could feel the beard rubbing against his own smooth cheeks. 

It worked. Steve leaned in and shifted his shoulders, clutching Thor’s wrist as if it were the only thing keeping him from sinking. Maybe it was. 

“Your memories continue to plague you,” Thor murmured, drawing back a little so he could make eye-contact, but keeping his hand in place. He remembered one of his mother’s old tactics and rubbed slow circles into Steve’s temple with his index finger. They were both exhausted; Steve’s eyelids were fighting to close, and Thor himself could feel his arm screaming at him to fold so his head could smash into the pillow, and he could sleep. 

They weren’t going to sleep until Steve talked. Thor had promised he wouldn’t let his friend get away with just brushing everything aside. He couldn’t keep plugging the dam. It had already broken when Steve had been so delirious he’d run out into a blizzard on a badly injured leg. 

Steve seemed to remember his promise too, because he blinked blearily into Thor’s worried stare and nodded. There were no tears there; he just looked... defeated. “Thought you were Peggy.” He sounded sad and sorry all at once. Was he sorry for being sad? 

“You miss her,” Thor guessed, and Steve confirmed with a weak nod. “Did you love her?” 

Steve hesitated, and not because he was unsure. “Yes.” 

“How long has it been for you?” Thor asked quietly, afraid to delve into this sensitive territory, but forcing himself to do so anyway. Steve needed to get this out. He’d been bottling is up for far too long with no-one to talk to. The prince wouldn’t dare ask, if Steve hadn’t expressed his desire to talk as they’d fled the compound just a few hours ago. 

“Year and a bit,” Steve replied, subdued. 

One human year. Only a single year had passed for Steve since waking up. How could a person come to terms with such a massive shift in just that short space of time? Midgardian increments of time were mere moments to Thor, so he was aware that a year felt much shorter to him than it did for his human companions, but... But. A year was nothing. 

“She’s still alive,” Steve whispered. “I went to see her... half the time she doesn’t remember. Sometimes she’s angry and shouts at me... I know she’s sick, but it still hurts.” 

Thor pressed their foreheads together and let Steve squeeze his wrist as tightly as he needed. The Captain was gritting his teeth, anger in his eyes. The prince gave him the time he needed to gather his thoughts, providing a calm and steadfast stare to anchor to. 

“Sometimes I think-” Steve stopped himself, choking partway through a swallow, his expression a turmoil of rage and sorrow and shame. 

“Speak freely,” Thor implored. “Say whatever you must. It does you no good to suffer in silence.” 

Steve dug his nails into Thor’s arm, his whole arm shaking as his eyes burned. His voice was very low, aggressive. “Sometimes I think she deserved it, for leaving me out there. For not looking harder. Her and Howard-” he coughed on the words as the part of him that was so stubbornly _ good _ fought against very human thoughts. 

Thor let him get it out of his system. He wondered if that’s what Steve looked so angry about when he discovered him in the gym, punching yet another bag to death with a firm jaw. 

“I want to hate them,” Steve’s growl nearly concealed his words altogether. “They left me to die.” 

Neither of them believed that. 

Steve furiously pounded Thor’s chest with his fists, the muscles in his jaw leaping as he grit his teeth together. “I wish I _ had _ died,” he ground out, and the prince almost missed it. The room hung silent. 

It hurt a little to hear that, even if it was secondary to overwhelming concern. Surely Steve didn’t mean that... Well, enough of him did to say it out loud. 

“You don’t mean that...” Thor breathed uselessly, cursing himself immediately afterward. Who was he to judge that? 

“What do you know?” Steve growled, grabbing Thor’s arm and squeezing it with his impressive strength. Even for the demi-god it was enough to cause a wince. “I _ did _ die that day.” 

Steve was right. Thor didn’t know anything. He didn’t know what it was like to be prepared to die, only to wake up a lifetime later in a new land without anyone he used to know, where new peopled expected him to be the person he’d been. War changed people, but Steve hadn’t just gone off into battle and come back a changed man. He had endured so much more, and all in the space a few years. 

What right did he have to try and speak into this? He had _ no _ right. All he had were duty and desire. That wasn’t enough. 

He didn’t know what to say, which was fine in the end, because Steve settled on his own and came back to his senses. Thor watched the Captain sigh with defeat and let go of his arm, flushing with shame and turning his face into the pillows. “The dreams never fade.” the sound was muffled by the pillow and tears that were finally making an appearance. It took Thor a moment or two to decipher what the Captain had said. “I can remember everything that happened, Thor, down to the last detail, like it was yesterday. I can’t forget _ anything _.” 

Everything. Thor decided now was a good time to move in and give that comfort he had previously been using to suppress the bad memories so they could carry on. Steve needed that support now. 

“Nothing?” Thor whispered. 

“Not since the serum,” Steve replied, burying his face into the demi-god's chest, and he felt a tear trickled down his pec. “When Dr. Erskine was shot, when Bucky fell from the train, when I crashed the Valkyrie... I won’t ever forget them.” 

Memories of traumatic experiences faded, but they wouldn’t for Steve. He would be forced to relive those events over and over again until the day he died. Maybe the dreams would ease up, and he would make peace with his demons, but those memories would always be fresh and present. 

“’m sorry...” Steve whispered into his chest, tickling the skin with his breaths. “Didn’t mean... didn’t mean what I said." 

“Do not apologize,” Thor squeezed his friend tighter, kissed his shoulder, rubbed his back with a hand. “You promised to talk, and I promised to listen. So speak.” 

“If I were dead I wouldn’t have met you,” Steve’s voice was another decibel quieter. “’m damn lucky.” 

“I would agree,” Thor tucked the Captain’s head under his chin and held it there, rubbing his cropped hair in slow circles. They sat there in silence for a long time, listening to each other’s vital signs as they so often did, and the prince marveled at Steve’s raw strength. Not just in his body, but in his heart. It was probably hard to love. Thor had asked a lot of him by confessing his feelings. Had he been insensitive, too direct? _ Perhaps not, _ he thought with a smile as Steve mumbled something about getting some rest before falling completely silent. The sleep wasn’t as deep as before, but it was restful. 

This would take time. It wasn’t enough, but it was a start. Thor let his eyelids glide shut and pulled the blankets back up around them. 


	17. Chapter 17

Steve's leg was healing a lot faster now that it actually had the chance. It was frustrating not to be able to go down to the gym and do his usual work-out, or get up and run early in the morning, but his friends kept him busy. Clint hooked up the Wii and he and Thor and Steve played Mario Kart until they got tired of Clint's winning streak. The archer insisted they keep at it and exchanged game disks with a grin that was nothing short of evil.

The trio found themselves playing a variety of sports, which to Clint's delight, the archer could actually beat his two enhanced team members at. Steve was a master of hand-to-hand combat, and even if Clint's training could lend him some benefit, there was no way he could overpower the super-soldier. And Thor was just too strong, period. Normal human punches were useless against him.

In Wii boxing, however, the playing field was leveled. Steve consoled himself with the fact that he'd picked all of this up very quickly, and had held his own very well despite having to sit throughout every activity. He sat back for a moment to eat some of Clint's pancakes and enjoy the boxing match between him and Thor. The demi-god looked a bit ridiculous as he flailed the remote, impressive arms pushing against the sleeves of his t-shirt as he furiously battled Clint, roaring like it was a real fight. The arche r calmly blocked all the jabs aimed at his character and returned them when he found his opening, defeating Thor's character in a matter of seconds.

"You have bested me yet again!" Thor exclaimed, throwing up his hands. "You are truly a formidable opponent, my friend!"

Clint grinned proudly. "I'm enjoying it while it lasts, big guy. Come, let's try something else. Go get some food and I'll hook it up."

Thor obliged, dropping the remote into the archer's hand and plopping on the couch beside Steve with a sigh of mock defeat. "I have brought shame upon my kingdom." And he stuffed a pancake in his mouth, apparently not too bothered by shaming Asgard at all.

"Hey, he beat both of us," Steve chuckled. "Maybe you can reclaim your honor with the next game."

Clint set up another console and handed out controllers. In no time, the three were launching into Call of Duty with determined faces and energetic shouts. Clint's aim was nowhere near what it was in real life, but it was still good, and his reflexes alone were enough to quickly get the upper hand on his two companions.

Steve picked up the game quickly. He could process visual information faster than his friends, and his own instincts were honed by the serum and experience. Thor was doing pretty well too, learning the controls with a few minutes of experimentation before he got the hang of the basics. Between the two of them, they finally managed to beat Clint. Thor leapt to his feet and threw his hands in the air with a victorious bellow, and Steve smiled.

Thor didn't leave his side, and luckily, he didn't have to. No threats emerged, and so Steve didn't have to watch his friends race into battle from the sidelines. The demi-god healed up in just a day, all his hideous burns and bruises vanishing even faster than Steve's serum could have pulled off. It was remarkable. Thor slept and ate off his fatigue, too, and was back to normal in no time.

They were down in medical now, two days after returning to the tower, Bruce running his fingers gingerly up and down Steve's leg while Thor watched curiously. The doctor cleared him to walk around; "Walking. No running, or jogging. Walking."

"Understood," Steve agreed obediently and watched the scientist strap the brace back around his knee.

"I'd recommend you spend an hour a day in the pool," Bruce explained. "Don't strain yourself. I know you want to get back out there as soon as possible, but if you work too ha r d you'll just set yourself back."

"I will ensure the Captain does not overdo himself," Thor smacked Steve between the shoulder blades and helped him stand up, taking a little bit of weight as his friend got used to putting it on his injured leg.

"Good," Bruce smiled. "I'll give you some exercises to do."

"Thanks Bruce," Steve let Thor take his arm and pull it across his shoulders. "You know, for a physicist, you're a pretty good doctor."

"And you'll be the end of me," Bruce smiled a little. "If it weren't for Thor you'd have brought out the Other Guy with the stress you cause me."

"Sorry...  workin ' on it," Steve smiled bashfully. He knew the scientist was joking, but he could  he ar the underlying layer of truth. Thor led him out of the room as Banner waved him out.

Thor took him up to the common floor for a group lunch, easing the pressure off his leg despite Dr. Banner's clearance that he could walk by himself. His limp was deep and agonizing, but he could feel his knee healing itself. His friends commented on how much better he looked, how well he was healing, and invited him to sit with them at the table. Bruce was shortly behind, and they all gathered together to eat.

References flew over his head as usual. Clint and Tony threw comments back and forth while Natasha gently nudged his arm and slid him a mug of  coffee.

"I never said hi," she gave him one of her soft, subtle smiles. "Missed having you around. Things got a little rowdy without you there talk some sense into everyone."

"Anything happen while we were away?" Steve asked.

"Nothing major. There was a small incident inland, but we handled it just fine. Even managed without the Hulk, which is good because he only listens to you," she nudged his arm playfully and raised an eyebrow. "So, you and Thor..."

She knew. Steve had known that. She'd gotten them some time together a few months ago when the pair had returned from their time spent on Sakaar. The spy had never brought it up, though. Sometimes she subtly helped the two men sit together at group gatherings, or made sure they had their alone time afterward, but she had never outright said a word in regard to their relationship.

Steve flushed, glancing around. Bruce was sipping his tea as he watched Tony and Clint argue about which sci-fi film was the most influential to modern society, and Thor was stuffing his face with his usual gusto. Nobody was paying any attention.

"Oh come off it, Rogers," Nat nudged him again. "I think everybody knows."

"What, I didn't say anything!" Steve protested quietly. "What...?"

"Tony caught you guys making out ages ago," Natasha explained, a chuckle working its way past her usual cool countenance. "Bruce has seen you guys in the med bay tons of times, so don't tell me he's never noticed how touchy things get. Thor's helped him out a couple of times with the rest of us, and he definitely didn't stroke anybody else's hair. The God of Thunder is learning First-Aid for you, Steve. You're clearly his favorite, and he' s head-over-heels in love with you."

Steve couldn't think of anything to say. He'd had his suspicions, that the team knew, but being called out was different.

"You're obvious ly head-over-heels in love as well," Natasha teased. "It's okay, Rogers, no need to hide it from us. I think it's cute."

"So you all know..." Steve said uselessly.

"I'm pretty sure," she confirmed. "Except maybe  Clint ..."

\--

Lunch ended, and Steve decided it was a good time to go down to the pool. One way or another, he was going to have to face his fears and get in that water.

Thor came with him when asked, with a few cautions from Bruce that he was not to throw Steve around like they usually did. There would be no rough-housing until Steve's limp was gone. The demi-god agreed cheerfully and went to find his swimming trunks.

Steve started to head down on his own, but Tony appeared at his side and pressed their shoulders together, offering his support as he strode along with his usual swagger. The engineer opened his mouth to make a joke, but Steve cut him off.

"I'll be okay, Tony," he said quietly as he leaned a little into the offered support. 

"Yeah, you will," the engineer commented. "And that big idiot will get you through this. But don't think you have to hide it from us, because we'll damn well do what we can to help. You've done the same for us."

Steve smiled. "Thank you, Tony."

"You better believe it," the engineer snorted. Then he softened a little, and that alone got Steve's attention. "I have a photographic memory."

"What?" Steve furrowed his brow at the inventor.

"Yup, so I remember every second of this," Tony tapped the glowing circle visible through his Black Sabbath shirt. "Well, not every second, but the seconds I do remember are just as vivid as when it happened. I'm willing to bet it's the same for you."

Steve was agape, speechless.

" So you can talk," Tony shrugged. "Any time you like. I'm usually up, but if your perfect ass is too worried about bothering people in the middle of the night, then you can bring me down some coffee to make it even ."

"Tony..." Steve stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned his frame to face the inventor. "Thank you."

"You can thank me by taking up my offer," Tony waved a hand. "Come on, big guy."

Steve smiled and turned back, warmed to his core. This wasn't going to be easy, but he had some damn good friends, and none of them were going to let him freeze. "Okay, Tony, I will."

"You bet your ass."

\--

Tony left him with Thor in the pool. Steve changed into his swimming trunks and limped into the water. It was warm, and the room was bright, but despite those things he still couldn't forget the crushing blackness creeping up the back of his throat and closing his airways. He hesitated when the water reached his hips, looking up to Thor.

The demi-god smiled at him and held up his hands, his smooth, damp body glistening in the sunlight. Steve bit his lip and stepped in deeper, reaching out for those hands desperately with his own shaking ones. He had to do this. He wanted to do this.

"Steady," Thor murmured, clearly aware of the battle going on behind Steve's eyes by the look he was giving him.

The water was at least taking the weight off his knee. It felt good. Steve held on tightly to Thor's hands. It was clearly going to be much harder to fight back surging memories than the last time he'd been submerged in water. More present even than the actual events responsible for his anxiety was his night terror. With each blink, he could see the Captain's dead eyes and white hands reaching from the depths to drag him back to the shadows and own him.

"I c-can't do this..." he muttered without thinking, before he could stop himself. He had to. For his leg, for his heart.

"You can." Thor sounded just as certain as always, speaking with  unwavering strength. "Yes, you can, Steven." He squeezed the Captain's hands tighter and drew him closer. He was moving so effortlessly in the water, gentle waves lapping at his chest and biceps. I was mesmerizing.

Steve nodded mutely, letting his body glide through the water as Thor pulled him gently closer.

"If you cannot forget, then you can make new memories," Thor whispered, wrapping one arm around Steve's waist and hugging their naked chests together. "Breathe with me."

Steve obeyed, entranced by the swell of Thor's body against his. They fell into rhythm together, and Thor bent his knees, lowering them both down into the water until their shoulders were submerged. Steve barely noticed, still clutching Thor's hand tightly and following his breathing. In and out, in and out.

"One more," Thor invited, and Steve followed along without thinking, sucking in a deep breath alongside the god and holding. Before he knew what was going on, they were sinking below the surface. The water swallowed his head, and they were submerged.

It was strangely peaceful under here. Quiet. All sound was muted and distant. Sunlight danced through the blue, lighting up Thor's golden crown of loose hair swirling around his head. Steve kept his eyes open, burning the image into his brain as hard as he could. Thor dr e w him closer and kissed him, opening his mouth and carefully working with Steve's lips so he could keep the air in.

Thor could hold his breath for a long time, and could keep them both down here as long as Steve could handle. They stayed under the water until lack of oxygen started to hurt. The demi-god pulled them both above the surface and they stood there, dripping and breathing.

The memories were still there, but suppressed. They would be back, but not now. Steve smiled. He nearly forgot about his therapy.

Thor stayed with him, following the exercises alongside him. They talked as Steve moved through what Bruce had suggested. They talked about past battles and past friends. Steve told Thor about Peggy, about what she'd meant to him. Thor told him about his short time in New Mexico, and about Jane. "She was brilliant," he explained. "And a friend. She helped me find my way. But what we had was not love."

Steve put his elbows on the tiled edge of the pool and rested his chin on his forearms, gently kicking his legs out behind him. "Been in love before?" he asked curiously.

"Once," Thor agreed, a distant look in his eyes as he copied Steve's position. "It was centuries ago. I hardly remember her face. I met her at a party. We used to hold banquets to find suitors, but no longer. I was not ready for love back then anyway."

"Odin doesn't like me ..." Steve mentioned. "Definitely not after what we did."

"He thinks my interest in Midgard is childish and pointless," Thor chuckled, and there was a hint of sadness there. "He thinks I should not spend so much time here, but I like it. I feel much more at home here with you and this team than I do back on Asgard."

"What about your family?" Steve asked quietly, resting his ear on his arms. "Your mother was nice..."

"I do miss my mother," Thor smiled. "But there w ere expectations of me on  Asgard that I do not feel suit me. My father is king, and my views vary deeply from his in too many important ways. I could not live there and not speak up if I disagreed with him, but it would not be favorable for the Nine Realms if their  Allfather were contested as such."

Steve felt pride rush up his chest and into his face. There was that thousand-year-old wisdom shining through, something sturdy he could hang on to in this world he was still learning how to make his. "I'm really glad you're staying," he smiled. "Earth needs you."  _ I need you. _

"I am happy here," Thor agreed, "and happy to have a place here. You make me feel safe."

Steve tipped his head, smiling wider. "Safe?"

"Our views are not so different," Thor explained. "I feel at home when I'm with you. Is it strange to say that I have always felt out of place? I do not wish to diminish your own circumstance-"

"No, not at all," Steve reassured. "No, Thor, it's not strange. I could never understand what it's like to have the kind of responsibility you do. You're a prince."

"I would give it all up if I could," Thor said with distant longing, but a soft blush was painting his tan cheeks. "Would you give up your titles? If it were offered to you?"

"I... I'm not sure," Steve mused, eyebrows pushing toward each other in thought. "Sometimes I think I would, but this team is really growing on me, and the more time I spend with them the less convinced I am that I'd trade it all to wake up back in nineteen-forty-five."

"I look forward to running into battle at your side for many years to come," Thor beamed happily. "How is your leg?"

"Oh, I forgot about that," Steve huffed a laugh and let his feet sink to the bottom of the pool. "Feels good. Those exercises did the trick. Made me hungry, though. Let's go find a snack."

"I agree!" Thor pounced effortlessly out of the pool, looping his arm under Steve's before the soldier could respond and pulling him out of the water with one smooth motion. The god set him on the tiles and they both stared at his leg as he took an experimental step. The muscles were considerably looser, but without his brace the joint was too weak to sustain walking on its own. Thor tucked himself under Steve's arm and supported him to the changing rooms to get dry and clothe d .

It wasn't just his knee that felt better. His whole body felt lighter. Steve let Thor strap the brace to his leg over his jeans and haul him standing as he marveled at how much better he felt, top to bottom, inside and out. 

That night, he finally got a complete rest. No dreams, no resurfacing memories. In fact, he hardly moved the second his head hit the pillow late that night, Thor curled up beside him.

\--

The memories would never go away, but they would get easier to remember. They did each time Thor beckoned him into the pool and rewarded him with a kiss. Sometimes he managed the whole hour without a problem. On a couple of occasions, they had to postpone the therapy session for another day. Thor was understanding throughout, listening when Steve needed to speak, and doing his best to associate the water with something good. They did a lot of talking in the quiet of the pool, and Steve did his best to focus on their conversations instead of old trauma and nightmares. Thor was infatuating, which helped. He was charismatic and interesting, overflowing with exciting stories. Sometimes Steve got lost in the details just watching the way the prince’s body moved as he gesticulated.

It made him want to draw, and urgently. The next day he managed to gather everyone in the pool for a swim together, and he sat on the sidelines to draw for a while before sliding off his brace and jumping in too. H e made it through  the day in the pool without an incident. 

He sat on Thor’s shoulders, and Tony sat on Clint’s, and they played with a ball while Natasha and Bruce watched in amusement. Tony complained that it wasn’t fair, and the teams were divided unfairly. Steve offered to swap with Clint, sportsman-like, but Bruce shook his head from the sidelines, forbidding him from putting his leg under any amount of stress. It was almost healed. Everyone had been teasing him endlessly about being so well-behaved and obeying Bruce’s orders. He hadn’t been down to the gym at all, despite his growing desire.

Finally, the Dr. Banner cleared him for duty after testing his range of motion and completing several in-depth scans just in case Steve was lying about pain.

“You should still wear the brace,” Banner insisted. “Until it’s perfectly healed.”

Steve obeyed, despite his displeasure. He was fine, but if the doctor insisted, he would. It was a small thing. That very day, they got a call.

The team coalesced and Steve donned his uniform, enjoying the familiar fabric hugging his body. He strapped his shield to his back, and went to meet the rest of his team for dispatch. Effortlessly, they fell into routine, and Steve gave his orders without thinking as soon as information about the threat was presented to him.

Robots, attacking the middle of the city. It was only a short fly from here. Steve strapped on his helmet and turned to his team with leveled excitement. “Okay team, Thor and Iron Man in the air as usual. Stark, get Barton someplace high so he can keep his eye on the situation. Romanoff, you’re on the ground with me. We’ll call a code green if things get bad.”

“Got it,” Natasha agreed. “I got your back.”

“We’ll set up a perimeter and alert emergency responders. They can get civilians to safety past there, and we’ll keep the fighting corralled,” Steve finished. He could see the battlefield through the jet window.

“Tap out if your leg bothers you for any reason,” Bruce eyed him.

“I will,” Steve agreed.

The landing doors opened, and the team rushed into battle as they had many times before. Steve afforded him self a moment to watch Thor sail overhead, his scarlet cape and golden hair fluttering behind him as Mjolnir carried him straight into the middle of everything.

“Yeah, you’re so in love,” Natasha teased, running past him and drawing her weapons. “Look sharp, Cap.”

Steve could only smirk as he raced after her.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we are, the final chapter! In which things don't always go to plan, but lessons have been learned.
> 
> I will post a chapter after this with all added artwork plus a couple extra drawings!
> 
> I'm already working on the next installment, but as always will be taking suggestions!

The ice would never truly leave him, but the least he could do was give himself the best chance to recover.

  
He spoke with Tony, wandered down to his workshop late one night with two mugs of coffee in hand and ghosts in his eyes. JARVIS let him in, and the inventor put everything aside for him. They talked, and it was good. 

“Remember a few weeks ago when you dragged me out of that collapsed building?” Tony explained quietly. 

Steve nodded. “You were panting over the comms. Scared the hell out of me.” 

“Scared the hell out of me too,” Tony agreed. “We all carry something with us. I fought it, and you can too. I still get nightmares about that cave, and about being paralyzed while a trusted friend rips out my heart. You can’t just expect that to go away. It never will. That’s why we’ve got to stick together, all six of us. We’re one-of-a-kind, Cap. Makes it hard to find a good therapist.” He chuckled humorlessly. 

“Does it hurt?” Steve stared at the arc reactor. 

“Sometimes,” Tony shrugged. “It’s a constant pressure, but there are days when it bothers me more than usual. So I come down here. I build stuff, take my mind off it. And you kick the shit out of punching bags. You gotta have an out, but sometimes you gotta talk to somebody.” 

“I heard you’re real bad at that second bit,” Steve chuckled. 

“Yeah, well, so are you,” Tony emptied his coffee. 

“Workin’ on it,” Steve smiled, yawning but fighting it. 

“You’re wa-ay better now, trust me,” Tony patted his shoulder. “Thor’s made you into a two-hundred-pound marshmallow.” 

Steve hid his blush with a sip of coffee. 

“Get some sleep, buddy,” Tony stood up and took both empty cups, putting them to one side. “You can crash here.” 

“Thanks,” Steve shifted on the couch and caught the blanket Tony threw at his face. He fell into a light and peaceful sleep, the sounds of his friend’s tinkering oddly soothing. 

\-- 

He felt like he was regaining a little piece of himself every time he swam in the pool with his friends, or spent time with Tony in his workshop, or played video games with Clint. After all this time getting to know them, he hadn’t really let them know him, and it was time to change that. They did just what Thor had assured they would; welcomed and accepted Steve Rogers into their family. 

That didn’t mean everything was perfect all the time, though, far from it. 

They were fighting more robots today. Steve threw his shield and batted down two from the air. Sometimes he wondered who had the money to build all these things, but then he remembered he lived with Tony Stark, and that there were probably plenty of people out there making a living off of what Tony used to be involved in. 

Things were going as usual, everyone falling into familiar roles and containing the threat while eliminating it. Steve helped lead groups of people to safety, blocking shots with his shield and carrying those who were too slow to run, or had been injured in the crossfire. Civilian involvement was always the worst part to Steve. They hadn’t asked for this. So he did what he could to protect them. 

A swarm of robots were headed for a hotel building, blasting in the windows to the fourth floor. All the awnings and overhangs by the entrance were destroyed, forming a huge pile that blocked anyone from exiting. Steve ran over and snapped his shield to his back to protect it as he tucked his arms under a metal beam and lifted. With all his strength, he hefted the beam off the ground and flung it at the robots, destroying two. The fire turned on him as he ducked down to haul more debris out of the way. 

Steve ripped the door right off and people streamed out, running where they were directed. He did his best to protect them with his shield, and when all the civilians were clear, sprinted into the building. He could hear screaming from the upper levels, and soon noticed why: the elevator was out, the doors melted with flame. He ran to the stairwell and hopped up them three at a time, kicking open the fourth floor door. Smoke billowed into his face, and he immediately noticed the red-hot handle of the door he’d just broken open. 

Gunfire sprayed in from the shattered windows of the room, and Steve ducked behind his shield, scanning for the source of the fire as he did so. He could just make out a few landmarks within the large hotel suite, including a flaming couch and drapery. The people trapped there screamed again, and Steve moved toward the sound. He found himself in a small bathroom, a young couple huddled in the bathtub. 

“Come on!” Steve yelled, holding out his hands and scanning the couple for injuries as they stumbled out of the tub and followed him to the door. More gunfire pelted his shield, and the couple ducked behind him until it was over. The floor beneath them creaked. Steve got them to the door, painfully aware of the creaking and cracking all around him. “GO!” he yelled, gesturing for the door as the gunfire resumed. He couldn’t even see the drones through all this smoke, but he could track them as long as they were shooting at him. 

He checked to make sure the couple had fled, and then reached for the destroyed door. He lowered his shield for a second and flung the object. It whipped through the air, struck both drones at once, and exploded them on impact. With that, the floor above collapsed and smashed through the one Steve was standing on. 

When he opened his eyes, he couldn’t move. The air was smoky and damp at the same time, and he coughed, sending jolts of pain lancing through his side. It was bad enough to steal a cry from his lips, but it was hoarse and quiet, strained. It was almost too dark to see, but he could make out a few small holes, like stars in the night sky, filtering in the tiniest amount of light. It was enough to reassure him that his eyes worked, at least, but not enough to see anything with. Even with his enhanced eyesight, he could barely make out a few dark shapes, including his own legs. 

_Collapsed building, Rogers. Up. Get up, keep fighting. Just need a few seconds..._ Steve blinked. He was fine. He'd just hit his head. A little bump was nothing for the serum. Something hot and sticky dripped into his eye, but that was fine. Steve grit his teeth and forced his body to move, but none of his limbs got anywhere. One arm was pressed down by an impossibly heavy weight that barely shifted even as he strained with all his might against it. That and something grating against his ribs stopped him. 

There was a chunk of flooring and other debris piled over his left side, completely pinning his arm and hip to the floor. He could see it, feel its weight on his body, just like he could feel the splinter of wood jammed between his ribs and the heavy beam laid across his legs. Steve shifted his right arm, but it was still in his shield straps, and the shield was pinned down by more debris. He was completely stuck. 

And there was a dripping sound near his ear. At first, he wondered if the wetness around his waist was blood, but it wasn’t warm nor thick enough. Actually, it was freezing. 

Oh god. 

Steve shifted urgently bucking his hips in an attempt to free himself, but he didn’t get anywhere. He could get out. _I can do it. Get up, Rogers. You can lift this! You’ve lifted heavier. Throw off the weight. Come on, Rogers! Team needs you! _

It was too heavy. Steve settled, panting, his ears ringing and his head throbbing. 

“Barton, can you clip these guys off my tail?” Stark, on the comms. 

“Gotcha Tony. I see you.” 

A pause. “Thanks Legolas! Thor, I’m rounding them up. I’ll lead in a few and you blast them!” 

Thor agreed enthusiastically to the plan. They were doing fine. Everybody sounded alright. Steve sighed and went limp. He was okay here for the moment. They didn’t need to worry about him. What if someone came to him, and in their absence someone got hurt? No, Steve would not allow that. He could work quietly on his own here and get free without any help. 

The water was getting higher. Steve forced himself to ignore it, even as it lapped at his ear. Instead, he grunted and kicked with his legs. With a bit of juggling, he got the beam off his thighs. Much better. Steve stretched his heels off the ground, then tried to rock himself sitting. It did nothing but explode pain through his chest. Steve coughed, and tasted blood. 

Broken ribs, for sure. His side hurt badly enough to lead him to believe that, and the weight squeezing his chest was probably a collapsing lung. Steve growled and strained his shoulders, fighting uselessly to get even just a scrap more debris off. More calls rang over the comms. 

He needed help. The floor was flooding, and his body was trapped, and he couldn’t breathe. Maybe he wasn’t panicking yet, but if he left it too much longer the cold water would get to him, and there was a good chance he would lose his cool. Steve could already feel anxiety squeeze his thoughts, restricting his breathing further. All that time spent in the pool meant nothing... 

No. No, he was okay. He could tough this out. Steve thought about all that time spend in the pool with his friends, of swimming with Thor, of kissing him under the surface. He was okay. 

The water filled his ears, dulling the voices drifting through his comm. Definitely not okay. He had to call for help, now, before his earpiece shorted. 

“Hey, this is Steve, anybody copy?” It took a lot of strength to say those words, and they came out hoarse and desperate. 

“This is Romanoff, I copy,” Natasha’s cool tone flooded his head with relief. 

“I’m stuck, I need help.” A hint more desperation crept in. 

“Cap, where are you?” Stark. 

“I can’t see you, you okay?” That was Barton. 

“I... hotel,” Steve coughed. “Not sure which floor.” 

“There are a lot of hotels in the area,” Tony again. “I’m doing a fly-over.” 

“Guys, no rush...” Steve whispered. “Get the bots first.” 

“Uh, kinda think I don’t want to listen on that one,” Tony tossed back. “Thor, got a visual?” 

“Steven, I cannot see you.” Thor’s voice alone was something to anchor to. 

The water was at his eyes now, and he lifted his head despite the pain. _Help. I need help. Gotta get help._ But first he had to help them. They had no idea where he was. 

“JARVIS, scan the area for heat signatures,” Tony ordered, sounding distant, his voice crackling a little. A popping sound in his ear made him gasp a little. 

The earpiece went silent, aside from a dying fizz. Steve felt his body start to shake, and his neck strain. He set his head down with a splash and the water immediately trickled into his nose. Fear pierced his heart. _No, not like this. _

Just like in that snowbank after the avalanche, he was shaking and freezing and losing himself. But even then, some part of him had known what to do. In the darkness of reality and of the dream drowning his rational mind, he opened his palm and called for help. 

_Hang on Steven. Here I come. Speak to me. _

_M’stuck. S’cold, Thor, I can’t move. I’m going to die. _

_I’m coming. Almost there. Are you hurt? _

_Help me, please. Help, I’m stuck! _

_Easy, Steve. Breathe. _Thor’s stalwart calm brushed against his fear, quelling it enough to be manageable._ I can see the building, Steven. Are you buried? _

_Stuck. M’stuck. _Steve shook. He had to let his head down. It splashed in the water, which was high enough to cover his whole face now. Even when he lifted his head, it was just about at his nostrils. There wasn’t enough time- 

_Steven. Breathe. Almost there. I have alerted the others. Are you hurt? Doctor Banner would like to know. _Thor kept talking to him, and Steve clung to their connection as reassurances were buffeted through Mjolnir. 

The water was in his nose no matter what he did now, so he let his head fall back and held his breath no matter how hard his body fought to hyperventilate and sink into panic. His fear must have rushed through the connection, because Thor pushed back with stronger calm and more gentle words. They were the only things keeping Steve aware. 

Something cracked above him, and light flooded his eyes as pieces of building were hauled off of him. A large hand pushed under his head and held his face out of the water while the other cleared the rubble from his body. The second the weight was lifted, he felt like he could breathe. A voice called softly in his ear, grounding him against the panic attack still fighting for control. He was losing. The cold had permeated his uniform and soaked through his bones to his soul. 

Thor’s knees splashed in the water as he knelt and cradled Steve’s head against his shoulder, grabbing hold of the huge splinter in his chest. He gasped as it was ripped out, and a hand pressed firmly over the hole. 

“Steven, look at me,” Thor spoke quietly. “I have you. Can you move?” 

Steve shuddered and nodded into Thor’s shoulder. 

“Good. Hang on to me. I will take you back to the jet,” Thor moved, sliding the shield off his arm and helping him sit a little higher so it could be snapped to his back. Steve shifted with a groan and wrapped his arms around the demi-god's neck. Everything hurt, but he had to, so he did. Thor snaked one arm under his rear, picking up Mjolnir with the other and carrying him to the window. Steve caught a glimpse of Iron Man hovering outside. 

“We can hold the fort while you get him stabilized,” Tony spoke, his voice concerned but sure. “Hang in there buddy.” 

The pair exchanged a few more words, but Steve wasn’t paying attention. He was too busy squeezing Thor as shaking consumed him. The conversation finished, and Thor spun his hammer, leaping out the shattered window and sailing into the sky. 

“Shh, you’re alright,” Thor whispered, his voice managing to break through, even though the panic attack was already setting in deep, paired with shock. 

They landed near the jet, his body jostling as Thor raced up the landing platform. Bruce was waiting for them, guiding them into the dim light where a gurney was waiting with a few supplies already laid out. The prince and the scientist exchanged a few urgent words, something to do with what Iron Man’s scans had found. Thor set him down on the sheets and started with the fasteners on his uniform. 

“Breathe, Captain,” Thor was managing to get the suit off surprisingly quick, sure fingers making quick work of all the zippers and buckles. “I have you. You’ll be alright.” 

“Warm him up,” Bruce was saying somewhere near his head. 

“We need some help out here!” Barton’s voice over the radio in the cockpit. “Thor, we need you back out here! We can’t hold all these robots off by ourselves! Another swarm just hit!” 

_This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen! _Steve nudged Thor’s hand, grabbed the demi-god's cape and tried to pull himself sitting. “G-go help them... I can fight,” he insisted. He could see where Thor had rested his shield, and stretched for it. 

“No, Steve, it’s okay,” Bruce appeared on his other side and pushed him down. 

“I will go,” Thor nodded, but Bruce stopped him too. 

“Make sure he’s warm, watch his breathing,” Banner held up a finger, and Steve could see a very serious stare in the doctor’s eyes as he instructed the god. “Oxygen is over there by the wall. Remember how to work the nozzle? Get him on that, keep him calm and still. Stop the bleeding. Then I want you to grab that over there – see it? - and make a cut about this deep, right here -” fingers gently touch his crushed side,“- and get that tube in there. It’ll help him breathe. You know the score for everything else.” 

And the doctor was gone. There was silence, then a distant roar. 

Thor snapped into action, moving around the gurney and gather things Steve couldn’t see from his vantage point. Everything hurt, and his body wouldn’t stop shaking. He lifted his arms to wrap the around his chest, but the prince appeared at his side and took his wrists, pressing them to his sides. 

“Steven, listen to me,” Thor pulled off the blankets he’d draped over his shoulder and wrapped them around Steve’s legs, tucking them around his body as high as he could without getting in the way of his injuries. The warmth eased his persistent shivering. Thor grabbed his face and brought their eyes close. “Steve, deep breaths. Deep breaths, come on. You can do it.” 

“M’sorry,” Steve whispered. “M’ really sorry.” 

“For what?” Thor chuckled. “Accidents happen. You called for help. For that I am grateful, and proud. No-one will condemn you for that.” 

“The team...” 

“Are doing fine without us,” Thor finished with a reassuring smile, squeezing Steve’s dirty cheeks and leaning forward to kiss his forehead. “Keep your eyes open, Steve. Talk to me.” 

Banner had taught him well. Steve clutched the sheets under his hands as Thor stood over him, waiting for an answer before he started his work. 

“How bad?” it was the best he could come up with, but it was something. It was conversation. 

Thor released his head and came back with a gauze pad in his hand, pressing it into Steve’s forehead up against his hair line. “Stark informs me you have several broken ribs and other minor fractures,” he began. “But nothing serious. Banner has given me instruction to aid your deflating lung. You are bleeding profusely, but it appears your serum is already slowing it.” 

Steve sighed. “Hurts.” 

“I know. You will be alright.” 

“Cold.” 

“I will fetch you more blankets when I am finished. Your wounds may not be serious now, but they require urgent care so they do not deteriorate,” Thor explained calmly. He was so calm, unfazed by Steve’s own failing sanity. He was so cold... 

A tear slipped out his eye, and Thor reached out with his thumb to wipe it away, maintaining steady pressure. It amazed him how careful the demi-god could be. The pressure was firm, but not too much. 

“It’s alright,” Thor murmured, lifting back his hand. “It’s alright, Steven.” 

“S’not,” Steve replied, squeezing his eyes shut. A hand cradled his head and lifted it off the gurney. A pair of lips pressed against the bridge of his nose before he felt the soft brush of fresh gauze pressed into his gashed head and a bandage wrapped over top. 

“You have done excellently,” Thor settled his head back down and was smiling at him with twinkling eyes when he opened his. “You have overcome great suffering. This is but a hurdle, not a failure by which to judge your success or your worth by.” 

It was hard to believe that, after all the work he’d done toward overcoming his fears. He’d been making good progress, and now to face something like this? His security had been so easily ripped from him. 

Something Stark had said to him filtered through his mind: the nightmares would never go away. Steve wasn’t the only one carrying these fears around with him. He wasn’t alone. Tony understood. Thor was here, speaking words of truth to his foggy brain. 

“You called for help,” Thor continued, pushing his hand into Steve’s ribs next. “And I am proud of you. I am certain the rest of the team will agree. Fear may have gotten the upper hand today, my friend, but in your stubbornness you did not allow it to win. You may not always be able to defeat these things with you own strength, but we will never let you suffer alone. Let us fight this fight with you.” 

That was an odd way to put it. Steve smiled the tiniest smile, feeling just a little warmer. 

“There we are,” Thor murmured, pleased. He taped a clean bandage over the wound in Steve’s ribs, walking up to his head with something in his hands too low to see. The god leaned over and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Relax, Steve.” 

Steve savored the kiss as the demi-god pressed an oxygen mask over his face. Immediately, it was easier to breathe, and he felt more awake. It helped with the panic, too, easing back the grey starting to tunnel his vision. He felt the urge to close his eyes, but forced them open and focused on Thor instead. With his blurry vision and the light on Thor’s golden hair, the god looked like he was glowing. It was a comforting image. He was safe. The nightmares were losing the fight. 

“Small prick,” Thor murmured, and Steve believed him. The stabbing sensation that followed was not small, but a warm hand on his chest helped him stay calm and fight the pain down to exactly that: something small, insignificant. The god must have found that spot Bruce had been explaining, because the weight on his chest started to lift, and it became easier to breathe. Not great, but better. Something slid between his ribs and he gasped in sudden pain. “Almost done,” the prince promised, pushing the tube in place and securing it in place with gauze and tape. 

Whatever Bruce had asked for was done. Thor had done it, was wrapping both hands around his and squeezing. “Would you like some water?” 

Steve licked his lips and nodded, shivering a little. The god moved away and came back with a bottle, taking off the top and helping him sit up without jostling the tube sticking out of his side. The rim met his lips and he drank slowly. When he was done, Thor put the bottle away and came back with another couple of blankets, wrapping them around the Captain but avoiding the tube. 

“Better?” 

Steve nodded quietly. Much better. 

Thor smiled down at him and sat on the edge of the gurney, his weight a comforting presence all on its own. Steve closed his eyes as warm fingers carded through his hair and stroked his forehead. It felt too good. 

By the time the team returned, the shivering had mostly subsided. He snapped open his eyes the second he heard Iron Man’s boots on the deck, turning his head to watch everyone pile in. Clint slipped into the pilot’s seat after a quick glance at Steve. Natasha smiled him too before leading Bruce to his usual corner and finding him a blanket and some headphones. The doctor gave him a reassuring nod – everything was alright. Steve sighed, fighting his guilt at having to send out the Hulk. Banner had made his choice, could have easily asked Thor to go back out instead. And everything had worked out. 

Tony walked over as Clint closed the ramp and fired up the engines. He clasped the edge of the gurney, worried and relieved. “Don’t look so guilty, Cap. We did fine. Have a little faith in your team.” 

Steve bit his lip under the mask, but he was too sore and tired to argue. 

“Hey, you called for help. That’s what a team’s for, right? That’s what Code Green is for, emergencies. The big guy destroyed those things in, like, minutes. Don’t feel so bad. You probably sped up our win,” Tony patted his hand. “Things happen, kay?” 

“What... whatever you say,” Steve summoned the strength to speak, giving Tony a shadow of his usual sassy smile. 

“Damn right,” Tony scoffed and started to walk away. 

Steve’s hand whipped out and grabbed his wrist, holding him in place. He stared at the engineer with urgency. “Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome,” Tony smiled warmly and took his hand, laying it down on the gurney. “Get some rest. Nice work Point-Break.” And he smacked Thor’s bicep as he walked by. The engineer took his place in cockpit and the jet lifted off, returning to the tower. 

\-- 

They were all adamant that it was fine. Bruce especially. Steve seemed to think he’d made a mistake somewhere in that self-sacrificial brain of his, but the scientist insisted that it was all okay, that bringing out the Hulk had been a good move in the end. Steve hadn’t inconvenienced anyone. 

Tony had thought for sure Steve would fall asleep on the ride back – hell, he’d probably fall asleep if he had a demi-god to stroke his hair like that – but the Captain stayed awake the whole time. Probably worried out of his damn mind about being a hassle. Idiot. They took him straight to medical, had him scanned good and proper, and Banner checked over Thor’s handiwork while the others stood back, hesitant to leave. 

“This is... really good,” Bruce marveled at the demi-god's dressings. “We should get him into some clean clothes and let him rest. I want him here for the night, but he should be good after that. His lung won’t take long to re-inflate.” 

“I can stay with him,” Thor agreed. “You should rest, Banner.” 

“Can’t say I disagree,” the doctor chuckled. “I’ll get you both something clean to wear. Here, you can hook up the monitors. Careful not to do too good a job, or you might get hired on as official Avengers doctor.” 

Thor laughed in good humor and Tony watched him stick electrodes to the Captain’s chest and wrap a BP cuff around his bicep. “It is my pleasure to assist.” 

“Will Steve share you?” Tony came over and leaned against the wall, smirking at Steve as Thor propped up his bed and fussed over him, making sure he was comfortable. “You know, lots of people your age do have a nurse.” 

“Very funny,” Steve shut his eyes, but he was smiling. 

“I thought so,” Tony proudly agreed. 

“Don’t harass him,” Bruce returned, a pile of folded clothes in his arms. He gave Thor a shirt and jogging pants, and a pair of PJ pants for Steve. “Come on, everyone, let’s go get changed.” 

Steve jumped, his eyes flying open. Thor hand’s flew to his shoulder, and Tony stood his ground. “Guys,” he ordered, and the other three stopped. “What’s up, Steve?” 

The Captain looked nervous, flushing and glancing between everyone in the room. “You think... you think you could stay?” 

“All of us?” Tony inquired, looking back at the others. Steve nodded, warming a deeper shade of pink. 

“I’ll pick a movie!” Clint announced, turning on his heel and racing out of the room excitedly. 

“I’ll get some food ready,” Natasha agreed gently. 

“And I’ll get some chairs,” Tony grinned. “Sleepover in medical!” 

They all popped out of the room to leave Steve and Thor alone, gathering some supplies for an afternoon in medical. Nobody minded. Clint looked positively thrilled, and even Natasha was smiling a little wider than usual. Tony couldn’t help the pleasure he was feeling, and it showed. Their straight-laced Captain was asking them for help. Maybe he should have JARVIS order a cake... but then Steve might never, ever ask for help again if they made too much fun of him. 

They could make fun of him a little, though. Just a tiny bit couldn’t hurt. 

All six of them crammed into the little room. Thor squeezed on the bed with Steve’s head on his shoulder. Bruce huddled in a chair under his own blanket next to Natasha, weary and hungry, but just as happy as the rest of them. Clint brought in a Starkpad and projected the movie of his choice where everyone could see it. By the end of the Fellowship of the Ring, it was already agreed that they might as well watch all three movies. Tony set JARVIS on ordering more food, Bruce checked up on Steve’s vitals and his healing lung, and Clint started the second movie. 

By the time they were on the third, Bruce had fallen asleep, so Tony did a few scans on Steve himself. The soldier was still awake, eating anything that was put in front of him. Return of the King ended, and his lung was properly re-inflated. Tony slid out the tube and Thor patched the hole while Clint went to find as many pillows and blankets as he could get his hands on. He returned, and the whole team camped in the room together. 

Tony tucked a few pillows against his back and tucked himself up in a blanket, content to watch his friends for a while. It was very late, but not for him, though he could feel sleep calling him too. For Steve’s sake, he would stay here and get some rest. This was actually... nice. He looked over at the bed. Steve was on his back, Thor wrapped carefully around him, and the blankets wrapped around them both. _Adorable_. Two huge men crammed into that little hospital bed. Thor was practically on top of the Captain, breathing deeply. 

Tony folded his arms around his chest. He knew he was going to be sore in the morning, but to hell with it. Nothing was moving him from this room. The same went for everybody else too, apparently. He smiled and let himself fall asleep. It was one of the best nights he’d had in years.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here's all the art that appeared in the story, plus a bit extra!  
If you like my artwork, you can find me on tumblr as AzureTiger
> 
> Stay tuned for the next part of the story!


End file.
